r 


H-E>; 

OF  XY^I  Ri> 


THE 

STORY  OF  MY  LIFE. 


BY 


REV.  B.  W.  CHIDLAW,  D.  D. 


CHILD  LIFE  IN  WALES.  PIONEER  BOYHOOD  IN  OHIO. 
FIFTY-FOUR  YEARS  MISSIONARY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL  UNION.  VISITS  TO  WALES.  CHAPLAIN  IN  THE  U. 
S.  ARMY.  DELEGATE  OF  THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  AND  CHRIS- 
TIAN COMMISSIONS.  TRUSTEE  MIAMI  UNIVERSITY.  COM- 
MISSIONER OF  THE  OHIO  REFORM  SCHOOL  FOR  BOYS,  WITH 
LABORS  IN  PRISONS,  INFIRMARIES  AND  HOMES  FOR  PAUPER 
CHILDREN.  MEMBER  OF  BOARD  OF  VISITORS  TO  WEST  POINT. 

WITH  AN  INTRODUCTORY  NOTE  BY  THE 
REV.  EDWIN  W.  RICE,  D.  D. 


FOR   SALE   BY 

WILLIAM  H.  HIRST, 

1 122  CHESTNUT  STREET,  PHILADELPHIA. 

J.  L.  SPICER,  10  BIBLE  HOUSE,  NEW  YORK. 

ROBERT  CLARKE  &  Co.,  AND  SUTTON  &  Co.,  CINCINNATI,  O. 

AND    BY    THE    AUTHOR,    CLEVES,    O. 
[Copyright,  1890,  by  B.  W.  Chidlaw.] 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE  I.    PAGE  13-27. 

My  Birthplace,  14.— Early  Religious  Impressions,  15.— First  Knowl- 
edge of  America,  17.— Leaving  Wales,  18.— Our  Voyage,  18.— 
Westward  Ho!  In  a  Sloop,  Wagon,  Keel  Boat,  and  Steamer 
19.— The  Death  and  Funeral  of  My  Father,  22.— Finding  a  Home, 
24.— The  Log  School-house.  A  Good  Trade,  25.— Learning  to 
Spell.  Won  a  Prize,  26. 

CHAPTER  II.     PAGE  28-42. 

An  Iuvestment,28.— Reading  the  New  Book  and  a  Bitter  Experience, 
28.— Pioneer  Life,  29.— Hunting  Raccoons,  29.— Log  Cabin  Life. 
Rev.  Russel  Bigelow,  30.— Going  from  Home  to  School,  31.— 
Teaching  School,  32.— Two  Young  Evangelists,  32.— Resuming 
Study,  33.— Returning  Home,  35.— Uniting  with  the  Church,  35. 
—My  First  Sunday-school,  38.— Securing  the  Books,  40.— Em- 
ployment, 42. 

CHAPTER  III.    PAGE  43-69. 

The  Death  of  a  Young  Woman,  43.— Pioneer  Life,  46.— An  Important 
Decision,  48.— Entering  College,  49.— A  Wonderful  Revival,  50. 
Sent  on  a  Mission,  50.— Help  in  Need,  52.— A  Fatal  Disease,  £4. 
—Return  to  College,  55.— Enter  Miami  University,  57.— Inter- 
view with  the  President,  57.— A  Collapse,  59.— A  Bachelor's 
Hall,  Minimum  of  Expense,  61.— Received  as  a  Candidate  for 
the  Ministry,  63.— Graduation,  64.— Studying  Theology,  65.— 
Disappointment  in  Application,  67.— Licensed  to  Preach,  68. 

CHAPTER  IV.    PAGE  70—81. 

Visit  Wales,  70.— Meeting  a  Friend,  70.— In  a  Welsh  Sunday-school, 
71.— Welsh  Preaching,  73.— An  Itinerant  in  Wales,  75.— Great 
Welsh  Preachers,  77. — Returning  Home,  Resuming  work  at 
Paddy's  Run,  Establishing  Sunday-schools,  Entering  the  Sun- 
day-School Union  Service,  79. 


1404077 


yi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  V.    PAGE  82-111. 

A  Kind  Offer,  82.— Ordination,  82.— Marriage,  83.— A  Useful  Sunday- 
school,  84.— A  Grove  Meeting,  87.— Helping  the  Preacher,  88.— 
A  Missionary  Tour,  89.— Fruit  Gathered,  93.— Wales  Revisited, 
»i.— A  Preaching  Tour,  98.— Llanuwchllyn,  a  Wonderful  Re- 
vival, 100.— A  Discovery,  111. 

CHAPTER  VI.    PAGE  112-137. 

Beturning  Home,  112.— A  Missionary  Journey,  113.— Work  in  Cin- 
cinnati, 114.— Family  Bereavement,  115.— The  Mission  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  116.— Opposition  Overruled, 
117.— A  Generous  Old  Lady.  A  Good  Methodist,  121.— A  New 
Work,  129.— Rowdyism,  Against  Temperance,  130.— Backwoods 
Hospitality,  133.— Ecclesiastical  Change,  136. 

CHAPTER  VII.    PAGE  138—166. 

Anecdote  of  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  138.— Re-establishing  my  Home, 
141.— A  Change  of  Field.  Appointed  Superintending  Mission- 
ary, 143.— New  Duties  and  Responsibilities,  144.— Finding  Mis- 
sionaries, 146.— A  Trophy,  148.— Steamboating,  150.— In  a  Dilem- 
ma, 151.— Backwoods  Currency,  152. — Re-visiting,  155. — A  Boy 
on  the  Wood-pile,  156. — Securing  a  Library,  158. — A  Presbyte- 
rian Camp-meeting,  160. 

CHAPTER  VIII.    PAGE  167-198. 

A  Step  Onward,  167.— Sunday-school  Celebrations,  168.— Conven- 
tions, 171.— Called  East.  In  Boston,  176.— The  East  Re-visited, 
181.— On  the  Boston  Common,  181.— In  New  York,  182.— In 
Philadelphia,  183.— Helpers  in  my  Work,  184.— Revivals  of 
Religion,  186.— Employment  from  1850  to  1860,  189.— An  Aged 
Soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  Army,  190.— Commissioner  to  the 
General  Assembly,  195.— Preaching  in  the  Tombs  Prison,  New 
York,  197. 

CHAPTER  IX.    PAGE  199-220. 

The  War  Cloud  of  1861,  199.— A  Bible  Class,  202.— Appointed  Chap- 
lain of  the  39th  O.  V.  I.,  204.— Worship  at  Dress  Parade,  205.— 
Systematizing  my  Labors,  205.— A  Call  to  Head-quarters.  207.- 
Ordered  to  Northern  Missouri,  209.— A  Horse  for  the  Chaplain, 
211.— Winter  Quarters  and  Work,  213.— Men  Under  Sentence  of 
Death,  214.— Prostrated  by  Sickness,  215.— Reach  Home.  My 
Resignation  Accepted,  216.— Visit  the  East,  218. 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

CHAPTER  X.    PAGE  221-255. 

The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  Battle  of  Perry ville. 
Work  in  the  Hospitals,  221.— I  Want  to  be  Mustered  in,  225.— 
Trafficking,  228.— Nashville,  Tenn.,  231.— Called  to  Philadelphia, 
234.— A  Voyage  Down  the  Mississippi,  236.— Contrabands  in 
War,  239.— A  Floating  Hospital,  243.— The  United  States  Chris- 
tian Commission,  245.— The  Cincinnati  Auxiliary,  245.— Sent  to 
the  Front,  247.— A  Field  Hospital,  248.— Letter  Writing,  250.— 
A  Tea  Party,  251.— Comfort  Bags,  254. 

CHAPTER  XI.    PAGE  25&— 283. 

An  Appointment,  256.— Patriotism  and  Sunday-schools,  256.— My 
Last  Visit  to  the  Front,  257.— Opposition,  259.— Anniversary  at 
Philadelphia,  260.— Closing  Anniversary  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
261.— Visit  to  Richmond,  Va.,  2G5.— Reform  School  Work,  267.— 
How  we  Got  a  New  Chapel,  271.— A  New  Boy,  271.— Incidents, 
274.— Penal  and  Charitable  Institutions,  276.— Finding  an  Aged 
Disciple  in  the  Infirmary,  277.— The  State  Prison,  279.— An 
Incident,  281. 

CHAPTER  XH.    PAGE  284—293. 

Resuming  Missionary  Work,  284.— Institutes,  285.— Grove  Meeting 
in  Illinois,  286.— Presbyterian  National  Convention  at  Philadel- 
phia, 287.— At  the  General  Assembly  in  New  York,  291.— A  Bible 
Meeting  in  Cincinnati,  292. 

CHAPTER  XIII.    PAGE  294-318. 

The  Presbyterian  Reunion  at  Pittsburg,  294.— The  United  Church 
General  Assembly  at  Philadelphia,  295.— ttenial  Hospitality, 
295.— Anniversary  of  tlie  American  Sunday-School  Union,  296.— 
An  Ecclesiastical  Wedding,  297.— A  Christian  Convention  at 
Columbus,  O.,  298.— National  Prison  Reform  Congress,  299.— 
A  New  Decade,  1870  to  1880,  300.— The  Radnor  Semi-Centennial, 
301.— Robert  Ralkes  Centenary  in  London,  303.— The  London 
Sunday-school  Union,  304.— A  Picture  Discovered,  310.— Depu- 
tation Work,  314.— Gloucester,  315. 

CHAPTER  XIV.    PAGE  319-340. 

Departure  for  Wales,  319.— Congregational  Union  of  Wales,  320.— 
My  Ancestors  Discovered,  321.— Labors  in  Wales,  323.— A 
Mother's  Every-day  Bible,  325.— At  Home  Again,  325.— My  Ordi- 
nation Remembered,  327.— A  Family  Celebration,  330.— Sunday- 
school  Golden  Anniversary,  Troy,  O.,  332.— The  First  Settle- 
ment of  Ohio,  Celebrated  at  Columbus,  O.,  335.— Flood  in  the 
Ohio  Valley,  335.— Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  Convention,  338. 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XV.    PAGE  341—375. 

Valley  Camp  Reunion,  341.— Deaths  in  my  Family,  344.— Asbury 
Park,  346.— Preaching  to  Soldiers,  346.— Wigwam  Meeting,  348.— 
The  Presbyterian  General  Assembly,  New  York,  349.— Hospi- 
tality, 350.— The  Pious  Pilgrimage,  351.— West  Point  Board  of 
Visitors,  353. — The  World's  Sunday-school  Convention  in  Lon- 
don, 356.— The  Fourth  of  July  in  London,  359.— Labor  in  England 
and  Wales,  360.— The  Queen  of  England,  364.— Stormy  Voyage, 
366.— Visit  to  Penal,  Charitable,  and  Eeformatory  Institutions 
in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  369.— At  Home  Employed  Writing  this 
Story  of  My  Life,  375. 

CHAPTER  XVI.— Closing  Labors.    PAGE    376—382. 

A  Visit  to  the  East,  376.— A  Sunday-school  Convention,  376.— The 
Welsh  Miners  in  the  Lackawanna  Valley,  377.— The  Future  of 
their  Churches,  378.— The  Sixty -sixth  Anniversary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Sunday-school  Union  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  378.— Rest  at 
Saratoga,  380.— The  Ohio  State  Sunday-school  Convention  at 
Zanesville,  381.— The  Children's  Day. 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE. 


EVERY  divinely  guided,  consecrated  life  is  a 
benediction  to  the  race.  To  the  youth  of  to-day 
willing  to  serve  God  and  their  country,  this 
modest,  but  deeply  interesting  record  of  a  long, 
noble,  and  widely  useful  life  is  sure  to  prove 
stimulating  and  helpful.  The  courage,  priva- 
tions, trials  and  abiding  faith  of  the  hardy 
exiles  for  conscience'  sake,  who  founded  Chris- 
tian society  amid  the  dense  forests  of  America 
during  the  early  part  of  this  century,  are  forcibly 
illustrated  by  the  story  of  the  fatherless  Welsh 
boy,  who  hewed  out  a  home  for  his  widowed 
mother  in  the  wilderness,  and  with  his  back- 
woods axe  chopped  his  way  to  a  college  educa- 
tion, fitting  himself  to  become  an.  eloquent  Sun- 
day-school evangelist,  a  friend  of  soldiers,  a 
prominent  leader  in  the  Sanitary  and  Christian 
Commissions,  and  an  advocate  of  State  Reform 
Schools,  making  his  name  a  household  word  in 
our  country. 

The  book  once  begun,  will  not  be  easily  laid 
down.  As  William  Hazlitt  said  of  the  first 
book  that  really  interested  him  :  "  It  smacked 
of  the  world  I  lived  in,  and  in  which  I  was  to 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTORY   NOTE. 

live  :  "  so  this  story  smacks  of  the  perplexities 
and  victories  of  our  common  life,  and  shows  us 
how  to  wring  out  of  its  daily  adventures  a 
glorious  record  for  God  and  eternity. 

When  one  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  far  God- 
inspired,  tells  others  what  the  Lord  has  done 
for  his  soul,  he  holds  his  hearers  spell-bound  by 
his  simple,  earnest,  swift-told  story.  Hence  the 
Welsh  youth  by  his  swift,  soul-inspiring  story 
of  Christ  and  salvation,  swayed  his  audiences 
with  unwonted  power.  It  mattered  not  whether 
he  was  speaking  in  his  mother  tongue  amid  his 
native  hills  in  Wales,  or  in  the  acquired  tongue 
of  his  adopted  land,  to  backwoods  crowds,  or 
to  cultured  city  audiences  in  the  centers  of 
wealth  and  refinement,  all  alike  bowed  before 
his  persuasive  pleading  and  his  fervid  eloquence. 

Swinging  the  axe  better  qualifies  a  Gladstone 
to  sway  parliament  and  to  guide  the  weighty 
interests  of  the  British  Empire  :  so  the  youth 
who  read  this  story  may  learn  that  clearing 
forests  and  following  the  plow,  are  among  the 
best  athletics  contributing  to  a  healthy  and 
lithe  body,  a  ringing  voice,  and  a  vigorous 
mind,  such  as  the  veteran  Chidlaw  possesses 
now,  though  nearing  "  fourscore." 

His  record  of  faithful  pioneer  work  as  mis- 
sionary of  the  American  Sunday-School  Union 
for  54  years,  gives  a  forcible  picture  of  the 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE.  XI 

breadth,  the  adaptability  and  the  signal  bless- 
ings of  the  labors  of  that  Society  in  widely 
different  fields  and  among  immigrants  of  vari- 
ous nationalities  and  speech. 

It  is  a  grand  record — a  leaf  from  experience 
— a  God-given  book.  Richard  Cecil  aptly 
says,  "  God  has  given  us  four  books :  the  book 
of  grace,  the  book  of  nature,  the  book  of  the 
world,  and  the  book  of  providence.  Every 
occurrence  is  a  leaf  in  one  of  these  books ;  it 
does  not  become  us  to  be  negligent  in  the  use  of 
any  of  them."  Surely  everyone  who  comes  fairly 
into  the  bracing  moral,  and  cheerful  spiritual 
atmosphere  of  this  book,  will  find  his  soul 
uplifted  by  noble  and  courageous  thoughts, 
and  will  rise  from  its  perusal  to  bless  the  work, 
and  be  inspired  to  go  forth  to  imitate  the  work- 
man as  he  imitated  Christ. 

EDWIN  W.  RICE. 

Philadelphia,  June,  1890. 


THE  STORY  OF  MY  LIFE. 


M 


CHAPTER  I. 

BIRTH,  AND  REMOVAL  TO  AMERICA. 

EMORY  is  a  wonderful  storehouse  of 
knowledge  and  impressions.  In  old  age, 
incidents  that  occurred  in  early  childhood  are 
well  remembered,  and  recalled  with  pleasure. 
The  place  of  birth,  home  and  its  surroundings, 
the  companions  of  childhood,  find  an  early  and 
abiding  lodgment  in  memory,  and  are  fondly 
cherished  when  the  burden  of  years  rests  upon 
us. 

Now,  approaching  the  seventy-ninth  mile- 
stone in  life's  journey,  I  recall  with  joy  of  . 
heart  and  gratitude  to  God,  the  way  I  was  led ; 
and,  for  the  encouragement  of  parents  and  the 
instruction  of  children,  to  honor  God,  and  to 
increase  my  enjoyment  in  old  age,  I  have  under- 
taken the  record  of  my  early,  as  well  as  the  later 
experiences  of  my  lengthened  earthly  pilgrim- 
US) 


14:  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

age,  for  hitherto  "goodness  and  mercy"  have 
followed  me,  and  "  my  cup  runneth  over." 

MY  BIRTHPLACE  was  the  village  of  Bala,  July 
14,  1811,  on  the  shore  of  Llyn-Tegid,  a  beautiful 
lake,  in  the  mountains  of  Aran  and  Arenig, 
in  North  Wales.  My  father,  Benjamin  Chid- 
law,  was  a  tradesman,  and  my  mother,  Mary 
Williams,  was  a  farmer's  daughter,  the  two 
walking  together  in  the  love  and  fear  of  God. 
Their  home,  as  the  house  of  Obed-edom,  was 
blessed  "  because  of  the  ark  of  God."  My 
godly  parents  were  Non-conformists,  and  in 
fellowship  with  the  Dissenting  congregation  in 
the  village.  Believing  in  the  promises  of  their 
covenant-keeping  God,  they  esteemed  it  a  privi- 
lege, and  a  duty,  to  dedicate  their  infant  son 
to  God  and  his  service  in  baptism. 

In  August,  1889,  while  in  Wales,  I  visited  my 
native  village,  and  examined  the  old  records  of 
the  Congregational  church,  and  found  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  Benjamin,  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  Chidlaw,  was 
baptized  August  4th,  1811,  by  me,  John  Lewis,  Pastor." 

After  the  lapse  of  seventy -eight  years,  I  gazed 
on  this  brief  record  with  emotions  of  deep  and 
solemn  interest,  and  with  devout  thanksgiving 
to  God  who  gave  me  such  parents,  who,  in  faith 
and  prayer,  brought  up  their  child  "in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 


BIRTH,  AND   REMOVAL  TO   AMERICA.  15 

Amongst  my  earliest  memories  are  those  relat- 
ing to  religion — the  Sunday-school,  and  the 
Bible.  Then,  as  now,  in  Wales,  parents  and 
children  observed  the  Sabbath — worshipped 
God  in  the  sanctuary,  and  together  attended  the 
Sunday-school.  In  the  chapel  Sunday-school,  I 
was  taught  to  read,  revere,  love,  and  to  under- 
stand much  of  the  simple  and  saving  truths  of 
the  gospel — the  sincere  milk  of  the  word, 
nourishment  for  babes  in  Christ. 

Sunday-schools  were  introduced  into  Wales 
in  1788  by  the  faithful  labors  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Charles  of  Bala,  my  native  village,  where  he 
died  in  1814.  The  want  of  Bibles  in  Wales, 
as  the  people  were  taught  in  the  Sunday-schools 
to  read  the  divine  word,  led  Mr.  Charles  to  seek 
a  supply  of  the  Welsh  Bible  through  the  "  Lon- 
don Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Religious 
Knowledge  among  the  Poor."  These  efforts 
God  overruled,  to  the  organization  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  whose  record, 
in  the  publication  and  circulation  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  in  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  lan- 
guages, is  the  glory  of  our  common  Christi- 
anity. 

EARLY  RELIGIOUS  IMPRESSIONS.  My  home 
training,  Sunday-school  instruction,  and  hearing 
preaching,  interested  and  deeply  impressed  my 
child  mind  with  the  importance  and  reality  of 


16  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

religion,  so  that,  to  the  honor  of  the  grace  of 
God,  I  can  now  write,  that  I  cannot  remember 
the  time  when  I  did  not  feel  my  need  of  a 
Saviour  because  of  my  sin ;  and  that  Jesus 
Christ,  who  died  for  me,  would  save  my  soul. 

The  infant  on  its  mother's  breast,  learns 
early  to  know  her,  trust  her,  and  to  love  her : 
so  children  of  tender  age,  instructed  in  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  may 
be  converted,  grow  in  grace,  and  in  that  know- 
ledge of  God  which  bringeth  salvation. 

Thus  instructed  and  encouraged,  I  delighted 
to  read  the  Bible,  attend  Sunday-school  and 
public  worship,  and  be  in  the  companionship  of 
children  trained  in  the  same  way.  As  babes  in 
Christ,  we  met  together  to  repeat  hymns  and 
verses  of  Scripture,  to  sing  and  to  pray.  He  who 
said,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me," 
and  accepted  their  "  Hosannas  "  in  the  temple, 
led  these  little  ones,  thus,  to  express  their  love 
for  their  Saviour,  and,  in  their  simple  way,  to 
worship  and  serve  God.  These  things  may  be- 
hid  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  but  by  the 
grace  of  God  they  are  revealed  unto  babes. 

While  so  highly  favored  in  my  early  religious 
culture,  my  secular  education  was  very  limited. 
Children  in  Wales,  in  my  condition  in  life, 
enjoyed  but  few  advantages.  My  Welsh  Bible, 
hymn  book,  and  Taith  y  Pererin,  (Bunyan's 


BIRTH,    AND   REMOVAL   TO    AMERICA.          17 

Pilgrim's  Progress)  constituted  my  library,  and 
I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  English  language. 

FIRST  KNOWLEDGE  OF  AMERICA.  When  I 
was  about  nine  years  old,  walking  with  my 
father  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  he  held  his  pocket 
handkerchief  in  the  breeze,  and,  as  it  was 
wafted  by  the  wind,  he  said :  "  That  is  fair 
wind  to  take  people  to  America." 

I  inquired:  "Father,  what  is  America?'* 

He  replied :  "  It  is  a  great  and  good  country 
beyond  the  ocean,  where  there  is  no  king,  no 
tithes,  and  where  poor  people  can  get  farms,  and 
where  apples  abound." 

The  Welsh  boy  knew  nothing  about  govern- 
ment, tithes  -and  taxes,  but  he  fully  appreciated 
the  country  where  apples  grew,  and  at  once, 
proposed  going  there. 

My  father  inherited  from  his  brother  a  small 
leasehold  near  the  village  of  Bala.  According 
to  the  custom  in  that  land,  the  lands  were  sub- 
ject to  a  tithe  to  support  the  Church  of  England, 
even  where  the  persons  holding  the  lands  were 
attached  to  Dissenting  chapels  which  they 
voluntarily  supported. 

Sometimes  the  Dissenters  would  make  a  con- 
tract to  pay  a  stipulated  sum  in  money  instead 
of  the  tithe,  but  the  vicar  not  infrequently  would 
send  his  tithing-man  to  gather  the  tithes  in 
violation  of  the  contract. 


18  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

LEAVING  WALES.  Suffering  from  such  op- 
pression- and  injustice,  father  disposed  of  his 
property,  and  in  1821,  with  mother,  and  my 
sister  Elizabeth,  left  the  land  of  his  fathers,  to 
find  a  home  in  a  country  where  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty  could  be  found  and  enjoyed. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  for  America, 
when  I  was  near  ten  years  of  age,  a  kind  friend 
gave  me  a  Welsh  Bible,  saying :  "  My  boy, 
you  are  going  to  a  distant  land,  and  we  know 
not  what  in  the  Providence  of  God  may  await 
you ;  but,  if  you  will  always  follow  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Bible,  and  pray  to  God,  he  will  care 
for  you.  The  Lord  will  be  your  keeper,  and  you 
will  want  for  no  good  thing." 

To-day,  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  seventy 
years,  I  can  bear  testimony  that  his  saying  was 
true,  and  is  worthy  of  the  belief  and  confidence 
of  every  boy  and  girl  in  the  land. 

My  father,  in  his  youth,  had  spent  from  179i 
to  1799  in  New  York,  working  at  his  trade ; 
and  when  he  returned  to  Wales,  he  was 
thoroughly  Americanized  in  language,  and  in 
his  ideas  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  The 
United  States  was  his  ideal  of  country,  laws 
and  government ;  and  he  always  longed  to  be 
a  citizen  of  that  great  and  good  country  beyond 
the  ocean. 

OUR  VOYAGE.     At  Liverpool,  in  April,  1821, 


BIRTH,    AXD   REMOVAL  TO   AMERICA.          19 

we  embarked  on  the  ship  "  Manhattan,"  bound 
for  New  York,  and  in  forty-seven  days  reached 
the  desired  haven.  I  well  remember  that  dur- 
ing a  storm,  my  young  heart  was  filled  with 
fear,  but  the  words  of  my  friend  who  gave  me 
the  Welsh  Bible,  came  to  my  relief,  and,  follow- 
ing his  instruction,  I  found  comfort  and  deliver- 
ance from  all  my  fears. 

The  sight  of  the  land  of  apples,  filled  my 
young  heart  with  joy ;  and,  when  we  landed  in 
New  York  where  we  remained  a  short  time,  I 
found  myself  perplexed  and  disappointed,  be- 
cause I  could  not  understand  the  boys  I  met  on 
the  street,  engaged  in  their  play.  They 
treated  the  Welsh  boy  very  kindly,  and  I  was 
greatly  pleased  with  these  American  children, 
and  I  determined  to  learn  their  language  as 
soon  as  possible. 

WESTWARD  Ho!  Early  in  June,  1821,  we 
left  New  York  in  a  sloop  bound  for  Albany,  and 
dependent  for  motive  power  on  the  wind  and 
tide.  Our  voyage  occupied  nearly  a  week. 
From  Albany  to  Schenectady,  a  wagon  fur- 
nished transportation.  Thence,  we  proceeded 
in  a  keel  boat,  up  the  Mohawk  river  to  LFtica. 
The  boatmen  used  poles,  and  pushed  the  craft 
up  stream  to  our  destination.  Owing  to  low 
water,  our  progress  was  very  slow.  At  farm- 
houses, we  were  well  supplied  with  provisions, 


20  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

especially  good  bread,  butter,  and  milk,  luxuries 
we  greatly  enjoyed.  We  frequently  landed, 
and  walked  along  the  road  skirting  the  river. 
In  passing  through  a  wood,  I  well  remember 
how  great  was  my  disappointment  in  not  find- 
ing apples  on  the  trees.  Inquiring  of  my  father, 
he  told  me  about  orchards,  and  the  season  for 
fruit,  and  satisfied  me  on  the  subject  of 
apples. 

After  a  week,  navigating  the  Mohawk  river 
under  difficulties,  trying  the  strength  of  the 
boatmen  and  the  patience  of  their  passengers, 
we  reached  Utica.  Here  we  found  old  neigh- 
bors, who  had  emigrated  a  few  years  previous. 
While  we  remained  I  found  myself  quite  at 
home,  playing  with  Welsh  children,  and  hear- 
ing Welsh  preaching.  After  a  pleasant  time 
with  our  friends,  we  travelled  in  a  two-horse 
wagon,  from  Utica  to  Black  Rock,  where  the  city 
of  Buffalo  is  now  located. 

Here  father  engaged  our  passage  to  Lower 
Sandusky,  Ohio,  on  the  steamboat  "Walk-in- 
the- Water,"  the  first  vessel  propelled  by  steam 
that  ever  navigated  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie. 
A  large  number  of  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations, 
were  on  board  emigrating  to  Wisconsin.  Some 
were  dressed  in  blankets,  others  like  white 
people.  As  they  were  the  first  Indians  I  ever 
saw,  I  was  very  much  afraid  of  them.  In  the 


BIRTH,    AND    REMOVAL   TO   AMERICA.         21 

evening  they  held  a  religious  service  on  deck. 
Their  singing  and  prayers,  though  unintelligi- 
ble, impressed  me  that  they  were  good  people, 
and  relieved  me  of  all  fear.  After  a  pleasant 
voyage,  we  were  safely  landed  at  Lower 
Sandusky,  where  we  were  compelled  to  remain 
several  days  waiting  for  transportation  to 
Delaware,  Ohio.  An  ox  team  from  Chillicothe, 
Ohio,  arrived  to  take  a  load  of  goods  landed 
from  our  vessel  for  a  merchant  in  that  town. 
My  father  bargained  with  the  teamster  to  take 
us  and  our  baggage  to  Delaware,  nearly  one 
hundred  miles  distant  over  a  new  road  opened 
through  the  forest.  The  covered  wagon  was 
our  home.  In  the  evening,  we  selected  a  pleas- 
ant spot  in  the  forest,  kindled  a  fire,  and  cooked 
our  provisions.  Mother  and  sister  lodged  in 
the  covered  wagon.  Father,  myself,  and  the 
teamster,  lay  on  blankets  under  the  wagon, 
enjoying  most  refreshing  rest.  One  night  we 
camped  at  Upper  Sandusky,  on  the  Wyandot 
Indian  reservation,  where  we  replenished  our 
stock  of  provisions  and  of  forage  for  the  oxen. 
Near  our  camp,  stood  the  Indian  Mission 
chapel,  where  a  religious  service  was  held.  An 
Indian  invited  us  to  attend.  It  was  a  real 
pleasure  to  hear  these  converted  Indians  sing- 
ing and  praying,  though  to  us  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  but  together  in  spirit  we  could  worship 


22  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  Lord  our  God.  Our  ox  team  moved  slowly, 
making  the  journey  tedious  and  uncomfortable  ; 
but,  reaching  our  destination  safely,  and  receiv- 
ing a  cordial  reception  by  old  friends  who  had 
settled  there  two  years  before,  compensated  for 
the  toil  and  privation  of  our  journey. 

THE  DEATH  OF  MY  FATHER.  In  a  few- 
weeks  after  our  arrival  in  Delaware,  then  a 
small  village  surrounded  by  new  settlements, 
my  father  was  taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever, 
and  died,  resigned  to  the  Divine  will,  but 
greatly  distressed  with  the  thought  of  leaving 
his  family,  strangers  in  a  strange  land.  The 
death  of  my  honored  father,  filled  my  young 
heart  with  sadness  and  sorrow.  Though  so 
young,  I  realized  the  death  of  my  parent,  good, 
kind,  and  faithful,  as  a  great  loss,  and  my  heart 
was  overwhelmed  with  grief. 

A  SAD  FUNERAL.  At  that  time,  in  the  new 
country,  undertakers  were  not  to  be  found ; 
but  kind  and  sympathizing  people  arranged 
for  the  burial.  An  old  friend  in  Wales,  now 
living  in  the  Welsh  settlement,  nine  miles  from 
Delaware,  came,  with  his  wagon,  to  take  the 
remains  to  Radnor  for  interment.  Our  dear 
mother,  when  we  so  much  needed  her  presence 
and  sympathy,  was  prostrated  by  fever,  and 
unable  to  go  with  us  on  this  sorrowful  journey. 
The  coffin,  covered  with  a  white  sheet,  was 


BIRTH,    AND   REMOVAL   TO    AMERICA.          23 

laid  on  some  straw  in  the  wagon ;  and,  at  its 
side,  sister,  myself,  and  two  friends  were  seated. 
Our  way  was  through  the  forest,  with  here  and 
there  a  log  house  and  a  clearing.  At  the 
graveyard,  a  number  of  people  were  assembled, 
several  men  carried  the  coffin  to  the  grave,  and 
an  aged  disciple  offered  a  prayer  in  the  Welsh 
language.  Then,  the  body  of  my  venerated 
father,  by  the  hands  of  strangers,  was  lowered 
into  the  narrow  house  appointed  for  all  the  liv- 
ing, to  rest  in  hope  of  the  day  of  immortal 
awakening,  when  "them  also  which  sleep  in 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him "  to  inherit 
eternal  life. 

This  great  bereavement  made  a  deep  and 
lasting  impression  on  my  young  heart,  and  I 
was  led  by  a  way  I  knew  not,  to  know  more  of 
God,  and  my  need  of  his  protection,  guidance, 
and  help".  This  affliction  was  sanctified  for  my 
spiritual  good,  and  its  influence  on  my  religious 
life  continues  to  this  day.  In  great  mercy,  God 
spared  the  life  of  my  mother,  and  her  restora- 
tion was  a  great  blessing  to  her  now  fatherless 
children. 

For  a  time,  mother  was  undecided  whether  to 
remain  in  this  country,  or  return  to  Wales; 
but,  finally,  decided  to  remain.  In  regard  to 
her  decision,  she  used  to  tell  us,  that  what  I 
said  in  conversation  on  the  subject,  settled  the 


24  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

question,  "that  my  father  always  said  that 
this  was  the  best  country  in  the  world,  and  if 
we  should  return  to  Wales,  I  would,  when  I 
was  old  enough,  and  could  get  the  means,  come 
back  to  America." 

FINDING  A  HOME.  Advised  by  judicious 
and  reliable  friends,  mother  invested  in  the  pur- 
chase of  land  in  Radnor  township,  (about  a 
mile  from  the  grave  of  my  father,)  on  which 
was  a  log  house,  and  some  land  cleared  and 
ready  for  cultivation.  Our  neighbors  were 
kind  and  helpful.  Our  nearest  was  a  family 
of  Americans,  good,  religious  people.  Asso- 
ciating with  the  children,  I  soon  acquired  the 
English  language  so  as  to  converse  with 
freedom. 

Near  the  graveyard,  a  log  meeting-house  was 
built  in  1817.  A  Baptist  church  was  organized, 
and  English  preaching  occasionally  enjoyed,  but 
most  of  the  settlers  were  Welsh  Congregation- 
alists.  They  met  together  once  a  week,  and 
on  the  Sabbath  for  prayer  and  religious  con- 
ference. With  my  mother  and  sister,  I  regu- 
larly attended  these  meetings  held  in  our  log 
cabin  dwellings;  and  thus  my  religious  life 
was  developed  and  strengthened.  These  Chris- 
tian people  encouraged  me,  as  a  young  disciple, 
to  relate  my  religious  experience,  and  to  use 
my  gift  in  public  prayer.  To  this  faithful  deal- 


BIRTH,    AND   REMOVAL   TO    AMERICA.          25 

ing  and  watchful  care,  I  owed  my  growth  in 
grace,  and  the  joy  of  loving  and  serving  Jesus 
Christ,  before  I  had  the  opportunity  of  uniting 
with  the  church,  and  confessing  him  before 
men. 

THE  LOG  SCHOOL-HOUSE.  Two  miles  from 
my  log  cabin  home,  stood  a  log  school-house  of 
the  most  primitive  character.  No  sawed  boards, 
hardware,  or  glass,  entered  into  its  construction. 
Oiled  paper  answered  for  glass,  the  door  was 
made  of  clapboards  and  hung  with  wooden 
hinges,  the  floor  of  hewed  slabs,  and  the 
benches  were  made  of  split  logs.  The  teacher 
boarded  around  in  the  families,  and  received 
nine  dollars  a  month,  half  in  trade  (produce), 
for  his  services.  The  Welsh  boy  was  directed 
by  the  teacher  to  begin  his  English  education  by 
using  "Webster's  Spelling-book."  I  was  sent 
to  Delaware,  on  horseback,  with  a  basket  of  but- 
ter which  I  was  to  trade  for  a  spelling-book 
and  some  tea  for  mother.  I  bartered  four 
pounds  of  good  butter  for  my  text-book,  Web- 
ster's Spelling-book. 

The  next  day,  I  went  to  school,  greatly 
delighted  with  my  book  and  my  teacher.  The 
first  sentence  I  read  in  English,  was  "  No  man 
may  put  off  the  law  of  God."  This  teaching  in 
my  spelling-book,  so  much  in  harmony  with 
my  Welsh  ideas  of  God  and  his  law — of  man, 


26  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

and  his  duty — established  in  my  mind  a  love  for 
the  book  and  the  language,  that  inspired  me  to 
use  all  diligence  to  acquire  knowledge,  and 
become  an  English  scholar. 

LEARNING  TO  SPELL.  My  teacher  told  me 
that  I  must  get  a  "  Columbian  Orator  "  and 
some  writing  paper.  These  I  obtained  by  bar- 
tering raccoon  skins  at  twenty-five  cents  each, 
requiring  eight  skins,  worth  two  dollars,  to 
secure  these  school  supplies.  We  only  had 
school  in  the  winter ;  the  rest  of  the  year  I 
worked  clearing  land  and  cultivating  the  soil. 
In  1823  my  teacher  said  that  I  could  enter  on  an 
advanced  study,  and  that  I  must  get  "  Pike's 
Arithmetic."  The  book  was  secured,  and  I 
entered  upon  the  new  study  with  interest,  and 
I  was  the  advanced  scholar,  except  in  orthog- 
raphy. In  the  spelling  class,  at  noon  and  eve- 
ning, when  all  the  scholars  stood  in  line  to  spell, 
I  was  always  down  at  the  foot.  English  orthog- 
raphy I  had  sadly  neglected.  I  felt  mortified  at 
the  foot  of  the  class,  and  asked  my  teacher  to 
excuse  me  from  spelling.  This  he  declined,  but 
wisely  suggested  a  better  plan:  "You  must 
learn  to  spell,  and  I  think  the  way  to  do  it  is 
to  give  up  every  study  and  go  back  to  the 
spelling-book.  I  will  offer  a  prize  of  half  a 
dollar  for  the  scholar  who  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  class  ofteuest  during  the  term." 


BIRTH,    AND   REMOVAL   TO   AMERICA.          27 

I  complied  with  his  suggestion.  The  spell- 
ing lesson  was  my  only  study,  and  soon  I 
reached  the  head  of  the  class,  held  it,  and  won 
the  prize.  The  last  day  of  school,  in  the  spring 
of  1824,  we  had  a  spelling  match,  and  I  was 
the  first  choice,  the  "  Captain "  esteeming  me 
the  best  speller.  After  a  contest  of  two  hours, 
our  side  beat,  and  I  was  the  hero  of  the  hour. 
After  a  short  intermission  spent  joyfully  on  the 
play  ground,  we  were  called  to  the  school- 
house  crowded  with  our  parents  and  friends. 
The  tickets  given  for  being  head  of  the  general 
spelling  class  during  the  term,  were  called  for, 
that  the  prize  might  be  presented.  It  was 
awarded  to  me;  and  with  another  half  dollar 
my  mother  gave  me,  I  possessed  an  enormous 
sum — the  wealth  of  Croesus  was  at  my  disposal. 
What  to  do  with  the  money  was  a  serious  and 
important  question.  A  boy  with  a  dollar  in 
cash  was  a  backwoods  millionaire  of  the  times. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PIONEER  LIFE. 

AN  INVESTMENT.  Consulting  with  an  aged 
and  trusted  neighbor  I  was  advised  to 
buy  "  Captain  John  Riley's  Narrative,"  a  most 
wonderful  book,  relating  his  shipwreck  on  the 
coast  of  Africa,  his  captivity,  and  his  release. 
The  funds,  and  several  raccoon  skins  were  sent 
to  Columbus  and  the  book  purchased. 

READING  THE  NEW  BOOK.  It  came  to  hand 
safely,  my  old  friend  was  delighted,  and  it  was 
an  event  of  interest  in  the  settlement.  I  was 
employed  in  our  sugar-camp  in  the  woods, 
making  our  supply  of  sugar  and  syrup.  At 
night,  while  boiling  the  sap,  several  of  our 
neighbors,  adults  and  youths,  would  come  to 
our  camp  to  listen  to  the  reading  of  this  mar- 
vellous book.  In  the  light  of  the  fire,  and  a 
torch  of  hickory  bark,  hours  were  spent  night 
after  night  until  the  book  was  finished,  all  of  us 
deeply  interested  in  the  thrilling  story  of  Riley's 
endurance,  sufferings,  release,  and  return  to  his 
home  and  country. 

A    BITTER    EXPERIENCE.      The    following 

(28) 


PIONEER   LIFE.  29 

autumn  I  had  a  severe  attack  of  fever  and 
ague,  the  pest  of  pioneer  life.  In  my  delirium 
I  found  myself  in  the  Sahara  desert ;  and  droves 
of  camels  kicking  hot  sand  into  my  mouth 
parched  with  a  burning  fever,  greatly  increasing 
my  suffering.  After  my  recovery,  and  recall- 
ing the  evil  results  of  reading  Riley's  narrative, 
the  cause  of  my  misery,  I  resolved  that  I  would 
read  no  more  English  books,  but  hold  fast  to 
Welsh  literature  ;  for  no  such  bad  results  fol- 
lowed reading  the  Bible  and  other  religious 
books  in  the  old  vernacular. 

PIONEER  LIFE.  The  cheer  of  my  home, 
the  companionship  of  my  youthful  associates, 
and  the  pleasure  of  my  religious  life,  made  my 
log-cabin  days  bright  and  joyous.  The  innocent 
amusements,  running  foot-races,  shooting  our 
bows  and  arrows,  jumping,  foot-ball  and  play- 
ing prisoner's  base,  afforded  delightful  recre- 
ation and  real  fun.  My  religious  principles 
and  experience  made  me  happy  and  cheerful, 
social  and  contented.  Gathering  nuts  in  the 
autumn,  and  cracking  them  on  winter  evenings 
and  distributing  the  kernels  among  our  friends 
around  our  log-cabin  fires,  or  in  the  school- 
house,  after  a  lively  spelling  match,  we  always 
enjoyed. 

HUNTING  RACCOONS,  was  another  of  our 
pioneer  pleasures,  combined  with  profit.  I  had 


30  THE    STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

a  dog  famous  for  treeing  the  game.  With  two 
other  boys,  older  than  myself,  with  lighted 
torch  and  axes,  we  would  in  the  evening  enter 
the  forest.  Our  faithful  dog  following  the  trail 
of  the  game,  would  soon  bark  at  the  tree  up 
which  the  raccoon  had  fled  for  refuge.  We 
would  hasten  to  the  spot,  and  at  once  begin 
to  chop  down  the  tree.  As  the  tree  fell  our 
dog  would  catch  the  game  ;  or,  if  it  escaped, 
he  would  soon  bark  at  the  tree  the  game  had 
climbed,  and  our  sturdy  blows  would  soon  cut 
it  down,  and  the  game  would  be  ours.  Generally 
we  returned  home  by  midnight,  with  from  three 
to  six  raccoons,  and  divided  the  spoils,  each  boy 
taking  care  of  his  portion.  Peltry  in  those 
early  days,  was  largely  the  currency  in  the 
transaction  of  business. 

LOG  CABIN  LIFE.  The  five  years  of  my 
boyhood  life,  attending  school  in  the  winter, 
and  in  manual  labor  the  rest  of  the  year, 
afforded  me  the  advantages  of  physical  and  in- 
dustrial training  beneficial  through  all  my  life. 
During  this  period,  my  interest  in  religion  con- 
tinued, and  my  thirst  for  knowledge  increased. 
Attendance  and  participation  in  the  religious 
meetings  held  by  the  Welsh  people,  nourished 
my  faith,  and  established  my  Christian  principles. 

The  first  English  sermon  that  I  understood, 
and  that  fed  my  soul,  was  preached,  by  Rev. 


PIONEER   LIFE.  31 

Russel  Bigelow,  a  Methodist  itinerant,  in  the 
barn  of  Esquire  Adams  in  our  settlement. 
His  text  was  1  Pet.  1 : 11,  "  The  sufferings  of 
Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow," 
describing  the  person  and  sufferings  of  Christ. 
Our  hearts  were  melted,  and  as  he  eloquently 
told  of  the  glory  to  follow  when  Christ  should 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied, 
many  of  his  hearers  were  moved,  and  shouted 
aloud  till  the  excitement  silenced  the  voice  of 
the  powerful  and  soul-stirring  preacher. 

GOING  FROM  HOME  TO  SCHOOL.  In  1827, 
I  had  graduated  in  our  log  cabin  school ;  and, 
my  mother,  anxious  to  comply  with  the  request 
of  my  father  on  his  death-bed,  that  his  boy, 
should  if  possible,  have  a  good  education,  took 
me  to  Worthington,  thirty  miles  from  our  home, 
to  an  academy  established  by  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Chase,  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church. 
This  was  the  embryo  of  Kenyon  College,  now 
located  at  Gambier,  Ohio. 

The  school  buildings  consisted  of  a  large 
frame  house,  and  three  large  log  cabins.  We  had 
forty  students,  six  of  them  young  Indians  from 
Canada  and  Sandusky.  My  studies  were 
geography,  grammar,  and  algebra,  and  my 
teachers  were  Professors  Wing,  Sparrow,  and 
Preston,  who  took  special  interest  in  the  back- 
woods youth,  and  made  study  my  pleasure. 


32  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

One  of  my  classmates,  was  James  B.  Clay,  son 
of  Henry  Clay,  the  distinguished  Kentucky 
statesman,  a  very  kind  and  courteous  youth'. 

The  religious  influence,  and  instruction  we 
received  were  very  helpful.  Mrs.  Chase,  a  noble 
Christian  lady,  gave  us  Bible  instruction,  and 
encouragement  to  lead  religious  lives.  The 
eight  months  I  spent  here  were  eminently  use- 
ful in  promoting  my  secular,  and  religious 
education. 

TEACHING.  In  seven  years,  great  improve 
ments  were  made  in  our  settlement.  Under  the 
school  law  of  Ohio,  a  hewed  log  school-house 
was  built  and  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $70.  Its 
shingled  roof,  glass  windows,  seats  and  desks 
made  of  boards,  and  the  door  hung  on  iron 
hinges,  marked  an  era  of  improvement  and 
progress  in  the  history  of  education  in  the 
settlement.  The  law  required  teachers  to  be 
examined.  This  ordeal  I  passed  successfully,  and 
received  a  certificate  of  my  qualifications  to 
govern  and  teach  a  school.  I  was  employed 
at  812  a  month,  boarding  among  my  patrons, 
kind  and  hospitable  people.  I  had  a  large  school, 
many  of  my  scholars  my  seniors  in  age,  respect- 
ful, and  anxious  to  learn.  My  school  work 
was  very  pleasant,  and  I  hope  profitable  to  my 
scholars. 

Two  YOUNG  EVANGELISTS.   George  Russell, 


PIONEER   LIFE.  33 

a  blind  young  man,  a  native  of  Rhode  Island, 
living  in  the  settlement,  was  interested  in  reli- 
gion. He  was  intelligent,  and  a  good  singer ; 
though  like  myself,  not  a  church  member,  yet 
endeavoring  to  serve  God  in  an  earnest  Chris- 
tian life.  We  were  much  together,  and  our 
views  of  Christianity,  our  religious  experience 
and  purpose  of  life,  were  much  the  same.  Two 
young  men  in  their  teens,  one,  a  school  teacher, 
the  other  a  basket  maker — without  ecclesiastical 
authority  or  sanction,  but  constrained  by  the 
love  of  Christ  and  a  passion  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  we  responded  to  invitations,  on  week 
evenings  and  the  Sabbath.  With  the  help  of 
older  Christians,  (in  the  absence  of  the  regular 
ministration  of  the  gospel,)  we  did  the  best  we 
could  in  praise,  prayer  and  exhortation, 
worshipping  God,  and  teaching  our  hearers, 
with  evidence  that  our  humble  labors  were 
not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

RESUMING  STUDY.  With  my  earnings  by 
teaching  school  three  mouths,  and  what  funds 
my  mother  could  spare,  I  went  to  Gambier, 
Knox  county,  Ohio,  forty  miles  from  my  home. 
The  institution  had  been  that  autumn  removed 
from  Worthington,  and  located  on  a  large  tract 
of  valuable  land  which  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Chase, 
with  his  wise  foresight,  had  secured.  What  is 
now  a  beautiful  village,  with  spacious  college 


34  THE   STORY  OF   MY   LIFE. 

buildings  and  pleasant  homes,  was  then  an 
almost  unbroken  wilderness. 

A  large  frame  house  had  been  built,  sur- 
rounded with  several  log  houses,  and  the  foun- 
dations laid  for  a  college  building.  The  log 
houses  were  for  recitation  rooms,  and  quarters 
for  the  students.  The  bishop  had  received 
several  bales  of  blankets  from  his  friends  in 
England.  These  we  were  allowed  to  .use  to  line 
our  log  walls,  and  for  bedding,  so  that,  during 
the  winter,  we  were  quite  comfortable.  Seven 
students  roomed  with  me  in  one  of  these  log 
houses.  They  were  unaccustomed  to  western 
life  among  the  logs  and  stumps,  especially  that 
phase  of  it  which  required  us  to  furnish  our 
own  fuel.  Being  an  expert  in  the  use  of  the 
axe,  and  skilled  in  driving  oxen,  I  made  myself 
useful  in  chopping  down  ash,  sugar,  and  hick- 
ory trees,  growing  around  our  door.  On  Sat- 
urday, I  would  haul  a  fine  lot  of  these  logs 
in  front  of  our  door  and  chop  them  as  needed 
during  the  week.  My  generous  room-mates 
paid  rne  for  my  labor ;  help  that  I  needed  in  my 
financial  affairs. 

During  the  first  term,  English  literature,  Latin 
and  mathematics  occupied  my  time.  The  next 
term,  composition,  declamation  and  Greek  gram- 
mar, were  added.  My  opportunities  were  good, 
and  I  endeavored  to  improve  them. 


PIONEER   LIFE.  35 

Many  of  my  fellow  students  were  members 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  consistent  and  active 
in  religious  duties,  and  helpful  to  me  in  my  so- 
cial and  religious  life.  One  of  them  had  a  Sun- 
day-school three  miles  north  of  Gambier,  and 
invited  me  to  go  out  with  him  and  teach  a  class. 
A  walk  of  six  miles  with  such  a  companion  and 
teaching  a  Testament  class  of  boys,  was  a  priv- 
ilege and  a  pleasure,  as  well  as  an  important 
means  of  grace.  In  Gambier  I  first  saw  and 
read  books  published  by  the  American  Sunday- 
school  Union.  My  connection  with  the  prepar- 
atory department  of  Kenyon  college,  and  the 
advantages  I  enjoyed  for  social,  intellectual 
and  religious  culture,  form  an  era  in  my  life  for 
which  to-day  I  am  thankful,  to  God,  and  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  church.  Early  in  the 
spring  of  1829,  I  left  Gambier,  uncertain  as  to 
the  future,  but  deeply  impressed  with  my  duty 
to  make  a  public  profession  of  religion.  Five 
miles  from  my  home  in  Radnor,  a  congregation 
of  Presbyterians  worshipped  God,  and  had  Rev. 
Henry  Vandeman  for  pastor,  preaching  to  them 
once  a  month. 

UNITING  WITH  THE  CHURCH.  With  twenty- 
four  others,  mostly  Welsh  people,  who  held 
letters  of  dismissal  from  churches  in  Wales,  I 
united  with  this  church,  as  did  my  mother,  sis- 
ter, and  brother-in-law. 


36  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

The  meeting-house  was  built  of  hewed  logs, 
on  a  lovely  site,  in  a  grove  of  sugar  trees,  on 
the  farm  of  Joseph  Dunlap,  Esq.,  one  of  the 
elders.  The  log  house  was  30x25  feet,  all  of 
black  walnut,  cherry,  and  oak,  the  best  timber 
that  grew.  The  farmers  through  the  country, 
cut  and  hewed  the  logs  on  their  farms,  and  on  a 
certain  day  hauled  them  to  the  selected  site ; 
and,  the  next  day,  raised  the  house  of  the  Lord, 
and  worked  at  it  till  it  was  finished.  The 
American  families  composing  this  congregation 
were  chiefly  from  Pennsylvania,  and  were  scat- 
tered over  the  western  half  of  Delaware 
county. 

This  sacramental  day,  my  first  communion, 
was  an  occasion  of  sacred  and  special  interest. 
The  preparatory  services  on  Friday  and  Satur- 
day were  largely  attended,  and  a  meeting  of 
session  held,  the  pastor  moderating,  with  three 
venerable  and  godly  men,  Joseph  Dunlap, 
James  Flemming  and  Thomas  Cratty,  ruling 
elders. 

Then,  it  was  customary  that  each  communi- 
cant should  meet  the  session,  and  receive  a 
token,  (a  circular  piece  of  lead  with  the  initials 
R.  C.,  Radnor  church,  stamped  on  them,)  which, 
presented  on  the  Sabbath  to  one  of  the  elders 
at  the  head  of  the  table,  would  entitle  the 
bearer  to  a  seat  with  the  communicants. 


PIONEER   LIFE.  37 

The  Sabbath  Services.  The  meeting-house 
was  crowded,  and  as  many  were  without  as 
within.  Judge  James  Gillis,  of  Liberty  con- 
gregation, fifteen  miles  away,  and  Col.  John  F. 
Dunlap  led  the  singing.  The  hymns  from 
Watts'  first,  second,  and  third  books  were 
used,  two  lines  given  out  at  a  time  so  that  all 
the  congregation  could  unite  in  the  service  of 
song.  After  prayer  by  the  pastor,  the  new 
members  were  welcomed  to  the  household  of 
faith.  Then  followed  the  "action  sermon"  on 
the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  as  a  vicari- 
ous sacrifice,  satisfying  the  law  and  vindicating 
the  justice  of  God  in  the"  work  of  redemption. 

After  a  short  interval,  the  communicants  were 
invited  to  the  Lord's  table,  extending  the 
length  of  the  meeting-house.  When  the  com- 
municants were  seated,  the  pastor  "fenced  the 
table  "  by  showing  who  were  worthy  partakers 
and  who  were  not;  a  very  searching,  yet  encour- 
aging discourse  to  the  weak  and  trembling  dis- 
ciple. On  Monday  the  sacramental  service 
closed  with  two  sermons,  and  a  meeting  of  ses- 
sion, and  the  reception  of  inquirers  seeking  a 
name  and  a  place  among  the  people  of  God. 

A  RETROSPECT.  Nearly  sixty-one  years  have 
elapsed  since  that  first  communion.  All  that' 
then  commemorated  the  death  of  our  blessed 
and  gracious  Saviour,  pastor,  elders,  and  com- 


38  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

municants,  except  myself,  have  died,  and  en- 
tered the  heavenly  rest.  That  log  house  has 
passed  away,  but  three  Presbyterian  meeting- 
houses, of  brick,  stone,  and  frame,  with  churches 
and  pastors,  are  now  witnessing  for  God  on  the 
territory  of  the  old  Radnor  Presbyterian  church, 
and  five  Sunday-schools  are  now  sustained  in 
the  township.  Early  planting  and  faithful  cul- 
tivation have  secured  an  abundant  fruitage. 

MY  FIRST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL.  A  few  days 
after  our  sacramental  meeting  and  my  public 
confession  of  Christ,  an  aged  disciple  greeted 
me  very  cordially,  and  expressed  his  great  pleas- 
ure that  I  had  united  with  the  church,  adding : 
"  If  you  would  be  steadfast  in  the  faith,  grow 
in  grace,  and  be  happy  in  your  religious  life,  you 
must,  at  once,  engage  in  active  service  for  your 
Lord  and  Master." 

These  kind  and  suggestive  words  touched 
my  heart  and  met  my  approval,  and  I  inquired, 
what  I  could  do  to  honor  God  and  aid  his  cause. 

'"  Well,  my  young  friend,  I  believe  God  has  a 
work  for  you  to  do.  When  you  were  a  boy  in 
Wales,  do  you  remember  going  to  the  Sunday- 
school  at  Bala  ?  " 

"  Yes  indeed,  I  do,  for  in  that  Sunday-school 
I  was  taught  to  read  the  Bible,  to  know  and 
love  my  Saviour." 

"  I  think,"  said  my  aged  friend,   "  that    we 


PIONEER   LIFE.  39 

should  have  a  Sunday-school  in  Radnor,  and 
now  is  the  time  to  begin  the  good  work." 

After  consultation  on  the  subject,  and  advis- 
ing with  other  friends,  our  plans  matured,  a 
public  meeting  was  called  for  the  purpose  of 
eliciting  the  interest  of  the  people,  and  to  ar- 
range for  opening  the  school. 

This  meeting  was  held  in  the  log  chapel,  near 
the  graveyard,  and  the  attendance  was  encour- 
aging. Our  plans  were  made  known  and  dis- 
cussed, and  by  an  unanimous  vote  it  was  re- 
solved, that  we  would  establish  a  Sunday- 
school  Society  and  start  the  school  on  the 
following  Sunday.  The  organization  provided, 
that  each  member  should  pay  annually  a  "  bit," 
(twelve  and  a  half  cents,)  the  funds  to  be  ex- 
pended in  purchasing  books. 

April  18,  1829,  the  school  was  opened  in  the 
log  chapel ;  thirty  adults  and  youth  attended, 
and  were  divided  into  two  classes.  My  old 
friend  took  charge  of  the  Welsh  department, 
and  the  young  disciple,  of  the  English.  The 
Welsh  department  was  mainly  adults,  and  con- 
ducted on  the  Welsh  plan,  asking  and  answer- 
ing questions,  and  reciting  Scripture  from  mem- 
ory. My  department,  youth  from  ten  to 
eighteen,  was  divided  into  two  classes;  one 
using  Webster's  Spelling-book,  the  other,  the 
New  Testament,  three  reading  out  of  the  same 


40  THE    STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

book,  the  supply  of  books  in  English  being  very 
limited. 

SECURING  THE  BOOKS.  The  subscriptions 
being  paid,  amounting  to  86.25,  a  goodly  sum 
for  the  times  when  money  was  so  scarce,  I  was  ap- 
pointed to  go  to  Gam  bier,  where  Prof.  Wing, 
interested  in  every  good  word  and  work,  had  a 
small  depository  of  the  publications  of  the 
American  Sunday-school  Union,  and  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society.  On  horseback,  with  large  sad- 
dle bags,  and  a  lunch,  I  traveled  forty  miles 
through  a  sparsely  settled  country,  and  reached 
my  destination  before  sunset.  I  was  kindly 
received  by  Mrs.  Chase,  the  professors,  and 
students,  pleased  to  find  that  I  was  on  such  an 
errand.  Prof.  Wing,  dealt  very  generously 
with  me,  so  that  my  $6.25  furnished  such  a 
supply  of  books,  that  my  large  saddle  bags 
were  insufficient  to  hold  them,  and  a  par- 
cel, strapped  behind  my  saddle,  was  required 
for  their  transportation. 

On  my  way  home,  delighted  with  my  suc- 
cess, at  the  noon  hour,  I  called  at  a  farm- 
house, and  asked  if  I  could  have  my  horse 
fed.  "  Yes  sir,"  was  the  pleasant  reply,  "and 
you  can  have  something  to  eat  yourself.  We 
always  like  to  see  strangers,  and  talk  with 
them."  He  inquired  into  my  business  in  trav- 
elling with  such  bundles.  I  told  him  about  the 


PIONEER  LIFE.  41 

Sunday-school  we  had  established  in  Radnor, 
and  about  the  books.  He  was  much  interested, 
and  said  :  "  Such  a  school  on  Sunday,  must  be  a 
mighty  good  thing.  I  wish  we  could  have  one 
in  this  settlement."  Rested  and  refreshed,  I 
was  ready  to  continue  my  journey,  and  asked 
for  my  bill.  My  kind  host  replied  :  "  You  are 
very  welcome.  I  wish  you  could  stay  longer. 
When  you  pass  this  way,  always  stop  with  us ; 
we  like  such  visitors." 

At  nightfall  I  reached  home,  and  the  next 
Sunday  the  new  books  were  introduced  into  the 
school.  All  of  my  scholars  were  supplied  with 
the  "  Bible  Reader "  and  the  Testament,  and 
all  who  could  read,  took  home  with  them  a 
library  book,  the  demand  exhausting  the  sup- 
ply. Every  book  went  at  once  into  active 
service. 

Our  work  prospered,  and  good  men  and 
women  became  our  helpers.  John  N.  Cox 
and  Morgan  Williams,  were  appointed  superin- 
tendents, and  several  new  teachers  secured. 

Our  record  book,  made  by  folding  two  sheets 
of  foolscap  paper,  contained  the  constitution, 
the  list  of  members,  and  of  scholars.  The 
school  was  now,  in  the  second  month  of  its 
existence,  well  organized,  and  I  continued  my 
class  of  young  people  using  the  English  lan- 
guage. 


42  TFIE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

EMPLOYMENT  was  found  in  teaching  a  daily 
school — a  labor  I  greatly  enjoyed.  With  my 
blind  friend,  and  true  yoke-fellow  in  evangelistic 
work,  accepting  invitations  to  hold  religious 
meetings  in  our  own  and  surrounding  settle- 
ments, on  week  evenings  and  Sunday  afternoons, 
we  met  with  good  and  attentive  audiences,  and 
spent  the  time  in  singing,  prayer,  and  exhorta- 
tion. In  our  humble  and  informal  way,  we  did 
the  best  we  could  to  instruct  our  hearers,  and 
to  persuade  them  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  repent  of  sin,  to  lead  a  true  Chris- 
tian life  ;  and  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  find- 
ing awakened  souls,  inquiring  what  they  must 
do  to  be  saved,  and  some  expressed  their  faith 
in  the  Saviour,  and  their  decision  to  serve  him 
and  to  unite  with  his  people. 


CHAPTER  III. 

EARLY  EDUCATION. 

THE  DEATH  OF  A  YOUNG  WOMAN.  In 
my  school  district  lived  a  family  from 
Pennsylvania,  the  aged  grandmother,  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  church  before  her  immigration 
west.  As  I  was  boarding  around,  I  spent  a 
week  in  this  home.  I  was  invited  to  engage  in 
family  worship,  and  to  converse  with  a  grand- 
daughter, an  invalid,  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion. These  duties  I  was  glad  to  perform. 
The  young  woman  was  very  feeble,  suffering 
from  consumption.  She  was  deeply  concerned 
about  her  soul,  and  her  future  destiny, — her 
mind  was  aroused,  and  evidently  receptive  of 
the  truth,  but  her  knowledge  of  divine  things 
was  very  limited.  I  read  the  Word  of  God  and 
explained  it  as  best  I  could,  imploring  the  aid 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Light  beamed  upon  her 
awakened  mind,  so  that  she  found  peace  in  be- 
lieving, and  expressed  her  trust  in  Jesus  ;  and, 
having  thus  tasted  that  the  Lord  was  gracious, 
she  testified  of  his  love,  and  entreated  her  un- 
converted companions  to  embrace  religion  and 

(43) 


44  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

live  godly  lives.  The  last  week  of  my  school, 
the  young  woman  died,  rejoicing  in  Christ,  and 
in  her  hope  of  salvation  through  his  atoning 
blood.  I  called  on  the  bereaved  family  to  sym- 
pathize with  them  in  the  time  of  their  sorrow. 
The  aged  grandmother,  as  there  was  no  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  in  the  settlement,  invited  me 
to  conduct  the  funeral  service.  I  told  her  that 
I  was  not  capable,  and  had  no  authority  to  per- 
form such  service.  But  she  insisted,  saying: 
"  We  don't  want  to  bury  the  dear  child  without 
some  religious  service.  God  will  help  you,  and 
the  family  will  be  satisfied." 

I  was  perplexed  by  this  invitation  to  perform 
such  a  serious  duty,  and  hastened  for  conference 
with  an  aged  Christian  friend,  a  wise  counsellor. 

He  heard  my  statement,  and  said  :  "  Under 
the  circumstances,  I  think  it  is  your  duty  to  ac- 
cept the  invitation,  and  do  the  best  you  can." 
I  asked  for  his  help  to  prepare  a  discourse  suit- 
able for  the  occasion.  He  took  the  Welsh  Bible 
from  the  shelf,  and  said :  "  About  twenty  years 
ago  I  heard  a  sermon  in  Wales  on  this  text, 
Amos  4 :  12,  *  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O 
Israel.'  The  preacher  showed,  that  by  nature, 
we  were  unprepared  to  meet  God  in  the  duties 
of  life,  in  the  hour  of  death,  and  at  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ.  Then,  he  showed  what 
preparation  we  needed  and  how  to  secure  it. 


EAELY   EDUCATION.  45 

Now,  you  know  what  the  Bible  says  about  sin, 
and  salvation.  Tell  the  people  that,  and  God 
will  help  you." 

This  conversation  was  in  the  Welsh  lan- 
guage. I  went  to  my  mother's  home,  a  few 
miles  away,  and  arranged  my  notes  in  English. 
I  spent  a  sleepless  and  anxious  night,  fearing 
lest  I  was  presumptuous  in  assuming  the  per- 
formance of  this  duty  providentially  laid  upon 
me,  and  in  anxiety,  lest  I  should  fail  in  the 
proper  improvement  of  the  solemn  occasion. 

The  funeral  was  the  next  day.  I  found  a 
large  number  of  people  at  the  house  and  around 
it.  In  great  weakness  and  trembling,  I  entered 
Upon  my  work.  The  seats  in  the  house  were 
all  taken  by  the  women,  and  the  men  stood  in 
front  of  the  door.  Standing  on  the  threshold, 
I  read  a  hymn,  which  the  congregation  sang.  I 
then  read  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  First  Corin- 
thians, offered  prayer,  and  delivered  my  mes- 
sage in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

After  the  burial,  the  aged  grandmother  invited 
me  to  take  supper  with  the  family ;  and,  as  I 
was  leaving  for  my  home,  she  thanked  me  for  my 
services,  and  gave  me  an  old  Spanish  coin,  a 
pistareen,  the  eighth  of  a  dollar,  a  piece  of 
money  current  at  the  time,  and  known  as  "  a 
bit."  I  gave  the  coin  to  my  mother  for  safe 
keeping,  and  she  preserved  it  sacredly  as  a  me- 


46  THE   STORY    OF   MY   LIFE. 

mento  of  that  funeral  service ;  and,  now,  we 
have  it  as  an  heir-loom  in  our  family,  a  memo- 
rial of  my  unofficial,  but  sincere  effort  to  console 
a  bereaved  family,  and  to  honor  the  Master 
whom  I  served. 

PIONEER  LIFE.  The  way  homes  were  made, 
and  a  living  secured  by  the  adventurous  settlers 
in  the  unbroken  forests  of  Central  Ohio,  is  to 
the  present  generation  a  lost  art.  Their  priva- 
tions, toils,  and  trials,  are  worthy  of  record. 

The  Government,  owning  the  public  land, 
sold  it  at  81.25  an  acre,  exempt  from  taxation 
for  five  years  after  it  was  bought  by  the  hardy 
pioneer.  After  selecting  and  purchasing  his 
land,  a  log  cabin  was  built  for  his  home,  and  the 
work  of  clearing  the  forest  commenced.  This 
required  a  strong  arm  and  a  courageous  heart. 
When  the  brush  was  burnt,  and  the  trunks  of 
the  trees  cut  into  logs,  by  the  help  of  his  neigh- 
bors they  were  made  into  heaps  and  burnt. 
Then  in  the  virgin  soil  among  the  stumps  he 
would  plant  corn,  potatoes,  beans,  and  pump- 
kins, and  wait  patiently  for  the  time  of  harvest. 

Wild  game  abounded,  and  with  his  trusty 
rifle  his  table  was  supplied  with  choice  veni- 
son and  turkey.  When  the  first  year  of  toil 
and  hardship  is  passed,  his  skies  brighten, — 
home  comforts  increase,  his  barn  is  built,  and 
his  fields  yield  plentifully  the  fruits  of  the 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  47 

earth — his  home  is  established  and  life  is  en- 
joyed. 

Sickness  and  Suffering.  In  the  autumn  of  the 
year,  fever  and  ague  and  bilious  troubles  pre- 
vailed among  the  settlers,  and  no  physicians  or 
drug  stores  being  available,  they  had  to  rely  on 
simple  home  remedies.  Suffering  from  fever  and 
ague,  a  kind-hearted  neighbor  skilled  in  the 
healing  art  treated  me,  using  lobelia  tea,  a 
decoction  of  burdock  roots ;  and,  as  a  tonic, 
dogwood  and  cherry  bark  steeped  in  whisky. 
These  remedies  were  found  at  our  cabin  doors, 
except  the  whisky,  and  we  found  that  thereby 
our  sufferings  were  mitigated,  and  a  cure 
effected. 

Clothing.  By  the  time  our  clothing  brought 
from  Wales  had  worn  out  we  had  produced  flax 
from  which  my  thrifty  and  industrious  mother, 
with  the  help  of  a  neighboring  loom,  manu- 
factured linen  and  towcloth ;  and  in  a  few 
years  our  sheep  afforded  wool,  which  was  carded, 
spun,  and  woven  into  excellent  linsey. 

A  Relic.  The  rlax  spinning-wheel  my  mother 
used  in  1822,  which  I  now  have,  is  an  interest- 
ing reminder  of  my  own  labor  in  raising  the 
flax,  and  preparing  it  for  the  spinning-wheel,  as 
well  as  of  the  toil  of  a  beloved  and  faithful 
parent.  Before  shoes  could  be  obtained, 
moccasins  were  used.  These  were  home-made, 


48  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

or  obtained  by  bartering  with  the  Wyandot 
Indians  from  the  Sandusky  reservation  who 
visited  the  settlement.  My  experience  in  the 
realities  of  pioneer  life,  trained  to  habits  of 
industry,  economy,  and  self-reliance,  has  been 
a  great  advantage  in  preparing  me  for  the  work 
of  life,  and  blessing  my  old  age  with  health 
and  vigor  of  mind  and  body. 

AN  IMPORTANT  DECISION.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  1829,  while  engaged  in  my  Sun- 
day-school, and  exercising  my  gifts  in  our 
religious  meetings,  looking  to  God  for  guidance, 
and  conferring  with  my  mother  and  trusted 
friends,  I  determined  to  study  for  the  gospel 
ministry.  For  some  time  this  matter  had  oc- 
cupied my  thoughts,  and  was  the  subject  of 
earnest  prayer  ;  but  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  obtaining  the  education  required  to  enter  the 
Presbyterian  ministry,  seemed  insurmountable. 
Yielding  to  my  clear  convictions  of  duty,  and, 
in  the  light  God  shed  on  my  path,  my  heart  was 
fixed,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  became  the  one 
idea  of  my  life. 

Grranville,  Ohio.  At  the  close  of  my  school 
in  August,  1829,  I  went  afoot  to  Granville, 
forty  miles  from  my  home,  to  study  Latin  and 
Greek  under  Rev.  Jacob  Little,  D.D.,  that,  if 
possible,  I  might  enter  the  freshman  class  at 
the  Ohio  University,  Athens,  Ohio,  in  the  fall. 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  49 

Here,  I  prosecuted  my  studies  with  advantage. 
The  preaching  of  Dr.  Little,  and  fellowship  with 
his  people,  greatly  strengthened  my  soul  in  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  and  Christian  work.  Here, 
I  first  united  with  a  temperance  society,  and 
became  interested  in  its  operations. 

ENTERING  COLLEGE.  In  November,  my 
brother-in-law,  John  Humphreys,  a  good  man, 
who  almost  as  a  father  cared  for  me,  and  also 
cultivated  my  mother's  farm,  took  me  on  horse- 
back 140  miles,  to  Athens,  the  seat  of  the  Ohio 
University,  where,  rather  poorly  prepared,  I 
entered  the  freshman  class.  The  president,  the 
venerable  Dr.  R.  G.  Wilson,  with  words  of 
cheer,  encouraged  me  to  enter  upon  my  studies. 
Rev.  John  Spaulding  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  received  me  with  great 
cordiality,  invited  me  to  attend  church  and  the 
weekly  prayer-meeting,  and  to  teach  a  class 
of  boys  in  the  Sunday-school.  Two  of  my 
scholars,  who  were  living  with  their  godly  par- 
ents in  Athens,  became  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel, Rev.  E.  P.  Pratt,  D.D.,  late  of  Ports- 
mouth, Ohio,  and  Rev.  H.  W.  Taylor,  D.D., 
now  of  Walnut  Hills,  Cincinnati,  both  of  them 
able  ministers,  and  faithful  watchmen  on  the 
walls  of  Zion.  Dr.  Spaulding  was  much  inter- 
ested in  the  students,  and  especially  in  their 
religious  welfare.  He  had  remarkable  gifts  as  a 


50  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Bible  class  teacher,  and  a  large  number  of  the 
students  received  the  benefit  of  his  valuable  in- 
struction, and  several  of  them  became  ministers 
of  the  gospel. 

A  WONDERFUL  REVIVAL  in  the  winter  of 
1830-1831,  blessed  the  churches  of  Athens. 
Seventy  members  of  the  pastor's  Bible  class 
were  added  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  an 
equal  number  of  other  converts.  This  revival 
in  Athens,  and  the  recent  death  of  my  beloved 
and  only  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Humphrey,  in 
Radnor,  brought  special  blessings  to  enrich 
and  strengthen  my  spiritual  life,  and  in  which 
I  now  rejoice. 

SENT  ON  A  MISSION.  Rev.  Addison  Kings- 
bury,  D.D.,  now  of  Marietta,  Ohio,  and  beyond 
the  nineties  in  the  years  of  his  life,  was  then 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Belpre,  a 
village  on  the  Ohio  river  thirty-five  miles  from 
Athens.  He  was  assisting  Dr.  Spaulding  in  the 
revival,  and  rendering  faithful  service.  That 
Dr.  Kingsbury  might  continue  his  labors  at 
Athens,  I  was  invited  by  my  pastor,  with  the 
consent  of  President  Wilson,  to  go  to  Belpre 
and  read  two  sermons  on  the  Sabbath.  With 
many  misgivings  and  much  fear  I  consented  to 
go.  Furnished  with  a  horse  and  saddle,  I  left 
on  Saturday  morning,  and  reached  my  destina- 
tion in  the  evening.  Delivering  a  letter  from 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  51 

Dr.  Kingsbury  to  Deacon  Howe,  I  was  well  re- 
ceived, and  spent  a  pleasant  evening  in  the 
family,  conversing  on  religious  subjects  and  the 
revival  at  Athens. 

In  my  chamber,  I  examined  the  sermons 
which  I  was  to  read.  The  dry,  dogmatic  the- 
ology they  contained,  failed  to  interest  my  own 
mind.  These  sermons  were  very  different  from 
the  gospel  preaching  we  enjoyed  at  Athens  where 
so  many  souls  were  convicted  of  sin,  and  led  to 
Jesus  for  deliverance  from  its  guilt  and  power. 
In  the  morning  I  asked  the  deacon  to  examine 
these  discourses,  for  I  was  in  straits  what  to  do. 
He  did  so,  and  relieved  me  by  saying:  "  Instead 
of  reading  these  sermons,  if  you  will  tell  the 
congregation  as  you  did  us  last  night  about  the 
work  of  grace  in  Athens,  it  will  be  very  ac- 
ceptable." 

A  large  congregation  had  assembled,  and 
Deacon  Howe  explained  why  Dr.  Kingsbury 
was  absent ;  and,  with  kind  words,  introduced 
the  young  student  to  conduct  the  service  of  the 
morning.  My  simple  narrative,  of  the  origin, 
progress,  and  results  of  the  revival,  with  illus- 
trations of  the  awakening  and  conversion  'of 
some  of  my  fellow  students,  evidently  interested 
my  appreciative  hearers. 

The  morning  meeting  I  enjoyed;  but  I 
dreaded  the  second  service,  as  I  had  no  spe- 


52  .     THE  STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

cial  preparation,  but  the  good  deacon  came  to 
my  rescue,  and  said :  "  We  will  help  you.  I  will 
ask  two  of  the  brethren  to  pray,  and  you  can 
give  us  a  talk  as  the  Spirit  of  God  may  direct." 
The  singing  was  good,  and  the  prayers  fervent, 
and  God  gave  me  utterance  to  press  the  claims 
of  Christ,  and  to  persuade  my  unconverted 
hearers,  now,  to  accept  and  enjoy  this  great 
salvation.  In  the  evening,  a  number  of  people 
gathered  at  Deacon  Howe's,  and  we  spent  its 
hours  in  sweet  and  profitable  converse,  closing 
a  delightful  Sabbath  day. 

Returning  to  Athens.  Having  departed  from 
my  instructions  and  discharged  my  duty  in  such 
an  irregular  way,  I  felt  troubled  in  prospect  of 
meeting  Dr.  Spaulding  and  accounting  for  my 
service.  I  handed  him  a  letter  from  Deacon 
Howe.  Having  read  it,  he  said,  with  one  of  his 
pleasant  smiles :  "  You  did  not  read  the  sermons, 
but  the  deacon  says,  the  way  you  filled  the  ap- 
pointment was  satisfactory,  and  that  the  people 
would  like  to  have  you  visit  Belpre  again." 
Thus  approved,  I  felt  relieved  of  my  anxiety, 
and  gratified  that  my  labors  were  approved. 

HELP  IN  NEED.  At  the  close  of  my  soph- 
omore year,  I  passed  my  examination  all  right, 
and  was  enrolled  in  the  junior  class;  but  my 
finances  to  meet  the  expenses  of  my  third 
year,  were  very  low,  and  on  that  account  my 


EARLY  EDUCATION.  53 

continuance  at  the  University  doubtful.  For 
two  years  I  had  boarded  in  a  first-class  house 
for  one  dollar  a  week,  and  thus  far  I  was  out 
of  debt. 

I  made  known  my  straitened  circumstances 
to  my  landlady,  Mrs.  Brice,  a  kind,  Christian 
woman.  She  heard  my  statement,  and  said: 
"  You  have  often  assisted  me  when  I  needed 
help,  and  now,  if  you  return  to  Athens,  I  will 
board  you  for  half  a  dollar  a  week."  These 
were  pleasant  and  inspiring  words;  and  settled 
the  question  of  my  return. 

Vacation.  This  generous  offer  prepared  me 
to  enjoy  my  vacation  ;  and  my  walk  of  140  miles 
in  four  and  a  half  days  I  performed  without 
weariness.  As  I  approached  my  home,  a  dust- 
covered  traveller,  I  saw  my  mother  in  the  yard. 
Accosting  her,  she  failed  to  recognize  me. 
Thinking  that  her  boy  was  far  away,  and, 
without  information  of  his  coming,  we  had  quite 
a  conversation,  before,  with  clasped  hands 
around  my  neck,  she  exclaimed :  "  My  dear 
boy,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you,  and  that  you 
look  so  well !  "  That  evening,  the  weekly 
prayer-meeting  was  held  in  our  house.  The 
greetings  of  old  friends  were  delightful,  and 
the  hour  of  prayer  refreshed  my  soul. 

In  a  few  days,  I  engaged  in  teaching  school ; 
and,  as  invitations  came  to  me,  I  resumed  my 


54  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

labors  as  a  lay  evangelist,  and  devoted  my 
Sabbath  mornings  to  the  Sunday-school  which 
we  established  in  1829,  now  large  and  flour- 
ishing. 

A  FATAL  DISEASE,  called  "  milk  sickness," 
prevailed  in  the  settlement.  As  I  had  time,  I 
visited  the  sick  and  dying,  ministering  to 
them  the  consolations  of  the  gospel,  and  for  the 
relief  of  their  sufferings.  On  a  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, as  I  was  on  my  way  to  the  Sunday-school, 
and  to  hold  meeting  in  the  log  chapel,  I  called 
on  a  family  of  religious  people  and  intimate 
friends.  I  found  the  husband  very  ill  with  the 
"milk  sickness,"  and  in  a  critical  condition  as 
the  physician  thought,  and  his  good  wife  I  found 
weary  with  serving,  and  burdened  with  anxiety. 
On  my  return,  I  called,  and  found  the  husband 
much  better  and  considered  out  of  danger,  but 
his  wife  was  greatly  excited,  and  alarmed  about 
herself.  Resuming  her  usual  quiet  manner,  she 
said :  "  In  the  afternoon,  I  lay  down  to  rest, 
and,  in  my  sleep,  dreamed  of  the  13th  chapter, 
and  16th  verse  in  Jeremiah.  I  found  the  verse 
in  my  Bible  and  I  never  had  observed  it  before. 
I  feel  that  it  is  a  warning  from  God ;  for,  of 
late  I  have  declined  in  my  religious  life,  and 
soon,  my  feet  will  strike  against  the  dark  moun- 
tains. Pray  for  me."  During  the  week  she  was 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  55 

prostrated  by  the  terrible  disease,  and  died  the 
following  Sabbath. 

The  circumstances  of  her  warning,  and  sud- 
den death,  triumphant  and  peaceful,  deeply 
impressed  the  community,  and  many  professors 
of  religion,  and  some  unconverted  people  were 
led  to  give  glory  unto  the  Lord  their  God.  I 
was  invited  to  speak  at  her  funeral,  an  occa- 
sion of  profound  and  solemn  interest. 

My  vacation  of  three  months  was  very  pleas- 
antly spent  in  teaching  school,  and  doing  good 
as  I  had  the  heart  and  the  opportunity. 

RETURN  TO  COLLEGE.  With  the  proceeds 
of  school-teaching  and  the  funds  my  mother 
provided  I  returned  to  Athens,  and  entered 
upon  my  studies  in  the  junior  year.  This  was 
a  profitable  year  in  the  prosecution  of  my  edu- 
cation, and  I  hope,  in  the  development  of  my 
Christian  character  and  life. 

On  the  way  to  Athens,  I  spent  two  days  in 
Columbus  resting,  enjoying  the  society  of  Chris- 
tian friends,  and  visiting  the  State  charitable 
and  penal  institutions.  In  good  health,  the 
weather  pleasant,  and  the  road  good,  in  three 
days  I  reached  my  destination.  I  had  a  very 
pleasant  home,  kind  associates,  in  college  and 
in  the  town,  enjoying  my  work  in  the  church 
and  Sunday-school.  My  junior  year  closing, 
for  satisfactory  reasons  I  asked  the  faculty 


66  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

for  a  dismission,  as  a  junior,  to  the  Miami  Uni- 
versity at  Oxford,  Ohio,  which  was  granted. 

I  returned  home,  enjoying  my  walk  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  miles  in  less  than  five  days. 
During  the  year,  a  frame  house  had  been  built, 
and  other  improvements  made,  so  that  I 
scarcely  recognized  my  old  home,  but  the  old 
welcome  remained  the  same.  I  was  delighted 
with  the  health  and  cheer  of  my  venerable 
mother  in  charge  of  three  motherless  grand- 
children, yet  happy  and  genial  as  ever,  and 
ripening  for  the  better  land. 

I  spent  nearly  three  months  as  I  had  the 
previous  year  teaching  school,  evangelizing,  and 
in  Sunday-school  work. 

In  the  midst  of  these  labors,  I  was  embar- 
rassed and  discouraged  by  the  knowledge, 
that  some  of  my  friends  and  brethren  were 
offended  at  my  course,  and  disapproved  of  my 
conduct  in  holding  religious  meetings  without 
ecclesiastical  authority,  holding  that  I  was  ir- 
regular in  my  labors,  and  should  desist.  No  ob- 
jection was  made  to  the  orthodoxy  of  my  teach- 
ing, or  methods  of  work  ;  but,  simply,  that  I  had 
no  authority,  and  had  not  finished  my  education. 
Willing  to  be  in  subjection  to  my  brethren, 
and  give  no  offence,  I  gave  up  my  evangelistic 
services  in  school -houses,  and  homes  where  I 
found  hearers;  but  my  conscience  was  ill  at 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  57 

ease,  and  invitations  to  hold  these  meetings 
continued  to  reach  me.  Casting  my  cares  up- 
on the  Lord,  conferring  with  prudent  and  faith- 
ful friends,  and,  loyal  to  my  own  convictions 
of  duty,  my  Christian  courage  enabled  me  to 
hold  on  my  way,  telling,  as  opportunity  offered, 
to  my  fellow  men,  the  "  old,  old,  story  of  Jesus 
and  his  love." 

ENTER  MIAMI  UNIVERSITY.  This  was  at  Ox- 
ford, Ohio,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles 
from  my  home,  with  no  public  conveyance.  A 
friend,  with  his  family,  wife,  mother,  and  three 
children,  was  going  to  Oxford  in  a  one-horse 
Dearborn  wagon,  and  kindly  offered  to  carry 
my  baggage,  (by  no  means  heavy,)  and  I  could 
exercise  my  pedestrian  gifts. 

With  my  mother's  blessing,  and  $45,  the  pro- 
ceeds of  selling  a  colt  and  a  cow,  and  $25,  the 
unexpended  balance  of  the  money  earned  by 
teaching,  I  left  my  home,  joined  my  friend  a 
few  miles  west  of  Delaware,  deposited  my  bag- 
gage and  a  well  filled  basket  of  provisions  in 
his  wagon,  and  in  five  days  we  reached  Ox- 
ford, where  his  friends  showed  me  no  little 
kindness. 

INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  PRESIDENT.  To 
Rev.  R.  H.  Bishop,  D.D.,  I  presented  my  cre- 
dentials from  the  faculty  at  Athens.  These  he 
examined,  and,  in  his  kind  and  inspiring  way 


58  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

said :  "  These  are  all  right,  and  I  am  glad  to 
welcome  a  religious  young  man  ;  but  our  rules 
require  in  entering  an  advanced  class  that  the 
candidate  should  be  on  trial  for  a  month.  If  the 
trial  is  satisfactory,  you  will  be  enrolled  in  the 
senior  class  of  twenty  good  young  men."  He 
also  said :  "  Our  term  does  not  open  for  two 
weeks.  You  can  employ  your  time  in  study, 
and  in  becoming  acquainted." 

I  told  him  that  I  was  a  Welshman.  He 
laughed,  and  said :  "  Well,  well,  and  I  am  an 
old  Scotchman.  There  is  a  Welsh  settlement 
fourteen  miles  south  of  Oxford.  They  are  a 
good  religious  people,  and  have  no  minister.  It 
will  be  pleasant  for  you  to  visit  them." 

The  next  day,  with  a  letter  from  Dr.  Bishop, 
I  walked  to  the  settlement,  and  was  well 
received.  On  Sunday,  I  was  invited  to  lead 
their  religious  service  conducted  in  Welsh.  The 
Sunday-school,  Welsh  and  English,  was  small, 
and  poorly  supplied  with  books.  By  request, 
in  the  evening,  I  addressed  in  English  a  good 
audience  on  the  Sunday-school  and  its  mission. 
The  few  days  I  spent  with  these  Christ  loving 
people,  renewed  my  spiritual  life,  and  encour- 
aged my  heart  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

RESUMING  MY  STUDIES.  Returning  to  Ox- 
ford, I  found  the  term  opened,  and  over  two 
hundred  students  in  attendance.  I  paid  my 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  59 

tuition,  bought  text-books,  furnished  my  ward- 
robe with  needed  articles  of  clothing,  and 
engaged  boarding  in  an  excellent  house  at  one 
dollar  a  week. 

My  certificate  of  church  membership  I  pre- 
sented to  Rev.  H.  Little,  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  whose  genial,  warm-hearted  wel- 
come cheered  my  heart. 

My  trial  month  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
I  felt  anxious  lest  I  should  fail  to  hold  my  place 
in  the  senior  class.  We  had  daily  prayers  before 
breakfast  in  the  University  chapel,  all  the  stu- 
dents being  present.  On  Saturday  morning, 
when  Dr.  Bishop  read  the  proceedings  of  the 
faculty,  the  announcement  was  made  that  I  was 
admitted  a  regular  senior.  With  a  glad  heart, 
and  a  good  appetite,  I  went  to  my  breakfast,  little 
dreaming  what  a  collapse  I  was  soon  to  experi- 
ence. 

A  COLLAPSE.  My  expenditures  had  been 
heavy,  my  funds,  except  six  dollars,  had  disap- 
peared. I  paid  the  landlord  my  bill  for  the 
month,  and  had  two  dollars  left.  Financial 
weakness  was  now  my  trouble.  The  boarding 
house  was  all  right,  the  fare  and  my  associates 
were  all  I  could  wish;  but  to  stay  without 
money,  looked  gloomy.  I  made  my  financial 
condition  known  to  the  landlord ;  and,  that  my 
mother  had  a  good  farm ;  and,  in  the  spring, 


60  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

she  would  have  some  stock  to  sell,  and  he  would 
get  his  pay.  Hesitating  a  moment,  he  said: 
"  Some  of  the  students  run  off,  and  never  pay  : 
so,  I  have  given  up  the  credit  system.  If  you 
give  me  good  security  you  may  stay."  As  I 
was  a  stranger,  this  I  could  not  furnish,  so  I 
was  left  with  only  two  dollars,  and  no  place  to 
board.  The  joyous  feelings  of  the  early  morn- 
ing gave  way  to  sadness  and  perplexity.  To  a 
senior,  equipped  for  my  work,  and  happy  in  my 
college  life,  this  was  a  bitter  experience. 

With  a  burdened  heart,  I  returned  to  my 
room,  and  sat  down  overwhelmed  in  my  dis- 
tress. In  my  trouble,  I  thought  of  God  and  my 
mother,  and  bowed  in  prayer,  but  I  found  no 
relief.  Then,  I  called  in  memory,  the  great  and 
precious  promises  of  God,  and  my  mind  rested 
on  the  words,  "  My  God  shall  supply  all  your 
need  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ 
Jesus."  Then,  a  spirit  of  supplication  filled  my 
soul,  and  in  my  distress  I  called  on  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  he  heard  me.  Delivered  from 
unbelief  and  doubt,  my  soul  was  filled  with 
peace  and  trust,  and  a  delightful  confiding  sub- 
mission to  the  will  of  God,  assured  that  a  way 
would  open  for  me  to  continue  my  studies. 

After  the  storm,  I  enjoyed  a  blessed  calm :  I 
was  no  longer  tossed  on  the  waves,  but  on  a 
smooth  sea,  and  a  bright  sky,  a  happy,  trustful 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  61 

voyager.  I  could  now  study,  and  prepared  my 
lessons  for  Monday.  Amazed,  and  thankful  for 
what  God  had  done  for  me,  I  went  to  the  after- 
noon prayer-meeting  held  by  the  students  in  the 
University  chapel.  A  large  number  were  pre- 
sent, and  it  was  good  to  be  there.  A  post- 
graduate, Charles  Sturdevant,  studying  theo- 
logy under  Dr.  Bishop,  related  how,  when  in 
great  straits  for  means  to  prosecute  his  studies, 
the  Lord,  in  a  way  he  knew  not  of,  provided  for 
his  wants.  Leaving  the  chapel,  I  walked  with 
him.  He  was  a  big-hearted  Kentuckian,  a  lovely 
Christian,  and  a  kind  friend.  Knowing  that  he 
could  sympathize  with  me,  I  told  him  my  story 
of  dependence  and  need. 

BACHELOR'S  HALL.  He  gave  me  words  of 
encouragement  and  said  that  he  was  keeping 
"bachelor's  hall,"  (boarding  himself)  and 
invited  me  to  share  his  hospitality  till  Monday, 
when  some  way  would  open  to  bring  me  relief. 
At  a  small  expense,  he  maintained  an  establish- 
ment of  his  own,  lived  comfortably,  and  enjoyed 
good  health.  For  our  supper  we  had  mush  and 
molasses.  To  his  dinnerless  guest,  the  food  was 
delicious,  and  enjoyed.  On  Sunday,  we  feasted 
on  good  bread,  cold  beef,  and  ginger  tea, 
attended  church  and  the  town  Sunday-school  in 
the  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  ;  while  listen- 
ing in  the  University  chapel  to  Prof.  W.  H. 


62  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

McGuffey  preaching  a  sermon  of  great  power 
with  an  unction  from  above,  I  forgot  all  my 
troubles,  and  feasted  on  the  marrow  of  the 
gospel,  given  to  us  by  that  prince  of  preachers, 
and  profound  divine. 

Monday  morning,  Brother  Sturdevant  intro- 
duced me  to  Mr.  Charles  Spinning,  a  merchant 
in  Oxford,  and  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  heard  my  statement,  and  said :  "  I 
have  seen  you  in  our  prayer-meeting  and  Sunday- 
school.  I  will  be  glad  to  give  you  credit  for 
what  you  may  require  for  self-support.  I  like 
to  help  worthy  young  men." 

DAYLIGHT  now  beamed  on  the  darkness  of 
the  night  in  which  I  had  been  enveloped.  The 
goods  necessary  to  keep  bachelor's  hall  were 
selected,  and  a  small  supply  of  staples  to  start 
my  new  "  modus  vivendi "  carried  to  my  room. 
My  log  cabin  life,  helping  my  mother  in  the 
culinary  department,  was  of  service  now,  and  I 
felt  much  at  home  in  my  new  environments.  In 
those  days,  provisions  were  cheap,  corn  meal 
was  a  bit  (12|  cents)  a  half  bushel,  potatoes  the 
same,  beef,  one  and  a  half  cent  a  pound,  choice 
cuts  at  that.  If  I  could  indulge  in  the  luxuries, 
Lathrop,  the  baker,  sold  a  very  large  loaf  of 
good  bread  for  a  fip,  (6i  cents).  An  old 
account  book,  now  before  me,  tells  the  story  of 
my  expenditures  during  that  term.  My  self- 


EARLY   EDUCATION".  63 

boarding  bill,  including  the  cost  of  outfit  $2.35, 
for  twenty-one  weeks,  was  $10,  or,  without  the 
outfit,  $7.65,  not  quite  thirty-seven  cents  a  week. 

During  this  time,  I  had  good  health,  and 
excellent  facilities  for  hard  study,  and  realized 
that  my  poverty  was  a  blessing  in  disguise.  In 
the  summer,  when  I  did  not  need  fire  in  my 
room,  I  gave  up  "  bacheloring,"  though  I 
enjoyed  it,  and  entered  a  club  at  half  a  dollar  a 
week,  and  found  no  improvement  in  the  quality, 
variety,  and  cooking  of  our  food. 

My  senior  year,  in  order  to  sustain  my  stand- 
ing in  the  class,  and  the  review  of  previous 
studies  for  the  final  examination,  demanded 
hard  and  constant  study  ;  but  the  final  exami- 
nation successfully  passed,  was  an  ample  com- 
pensation for  my  anxiety  and  application  dur- 
ing the  four  years  of  my  college  life. 

CANDIDATE  FOR  THE  MINISTRY.  Advised 
by  my  pastor  and  Dr.  Bishop,  always  my  true 
and  faithful  friend,  and  in  accord  with  the 
cherished  purpose  of  my  heart  to  devote  my 
life  to  the  gospel  ministry,  and  anxious  to 
enter  the  work  as  soon  as  the  way  was  open,  I 
offered  myself  to  the  Presbytery  of  Oxford,  in 
session  at  Venice,  Butler  county,  Ohio,  April  2, 
1833.  After  the  usual  examination  on  my  per- 
sonal religious  experience,  and  my  object  in 
seeking  the  ministry,  with  Jos.  G.  Monfort  and 


64  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Thomas  F.  Thomas,  members  of  the  junior  class 
in  the  University,  I  was  received  under  the  care 
of  Presbytery,  and  as  part  of  trial,  was  assigned, 
"De  Christo,"  for  a  Latin  exegesis. 

This  was  a  serious  and  very  important  step 
in  my  life,  a  new  inspiration  and  incentive  to 
prepare  for  the  great  work  before  me,  and  for 
which  I  thanked  God  and  took  courage.  Two 
post-graduates  were  studying  Hebrew  under 
Prof.  Armstrong,  an  enthusiastic  linguist,  and 
during  the  vacation  I  was  his  pupil. 

GRADUATION.  After  the  commencement 
exercises  in  September,  1833,  and  receiving  my 
diploma,  I  returned  home  to  Radnor,  travelling 
most  of  the  way,  through  the  kindness  of  a 
farmer,  in  his  wagon.  There  I  spent  a  few 
weeks,  working  on  the  farm,  aiding  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  holding  religious  services  with 
tokens  of  divine  favor. 

My  finances  would  not  allow  me  to  go  East 
to  a  theological  seminary,  but  by  my  economical 
method  of  living,  I  could  accept  the  kind 
offer  of  the  president  and  professors  at  Oxford 
to  give  me  instruction.  So  I  returned  to  Oxford, 
and,  with  six  other  graduates  and  the  two  post- 
graduates, entered  upon  the  study  of  theology 
under  Dr.  Bishop  ;  of  church  history,  under 
Rev.  J.  W.  Scott,  D.D.,  (the  honored  father- 
in-law  of  President  Benjamin  Harrison,  and 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  65 

with  him  in  the  Executive  Mansion) ;  under 
Prof.  Armstrong,  of  homiletics ;  under  Prof. 
McGuffey,  of  Greek  and  Hebrew,  a  faculty, 
eminent  for  scholarship,  gifted  in  teaching,  and 
able  preachers  of  the  Word. 

STUDYING  THEOLOGY.  The  theological  class 
consisted  of  Charles  Sturdevant,  B.  F.  Morris, 
Jer.  Morrow,  John  A.  Meeks,  John  Wilson, 
James  and  Thomas  Turner,  the  three  last  from 
South  Carolina,,  members  of  the  Associate 
Reformed  church.  Two  of  us  are  still  at  work, 
after  the  lapse  of  fifty-five  years. 

Our  professors  and  Pastor  Little  encouraged 
us  to  spend  our  leisure  time  in  distributing 
Bibles  and  religious  tracts  ;  and  on  Sunday,  to 
hold  meetings  in  the  school-houses  around 
Oxford,  and  aid  in  Sunday-school  work. 

During  the  summer,  I  spent,  by  invitation, 
and  the  approval  of  my  professors,  alternate 
Sabbaths  in  Paddy's  Run,  that  church  being 
vacant.  The  Sunday-school  was  prospering, 
and  a  library  of  books  of  the  American  Sunday- 
school  Union,  was  highly  appreciated  and  use- 
ful. My  congregation  increased,  and  my  labors 
in  Welsh  and  English  interested,  and,  I  hope, 
instructed  my  hearers  in  the  knowledge  of 
Divine  truth.  At  the  close  of  the  year,  the 
funds  furnished  by  my  faithful  mother,  with 
the  money  I  received  for  my  services  at  Paddy's 

5 


66  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Run,  were  expended,  and  it  was  necessary  for 
me  to  seek  employment.  This  I  found  in  the 
village  of  Venice,  several  responsible  citizens 
guaranteeing  $20  per  month  and  my  board  for 
teaching.  My  charge  for  tuition  was  three 
dollars  a  quarter,  double  the  usual  price.  I 
encountered  much  opposition,  and,  at  first,  I 
had  but  few  scholars.  I  did  my  best  to  interest 
and  instruct  the  few  that  attended,  and  made 
my  school  as  attractive  as  possible.  My  schol- 
ars rapidly  increased,  and  soon  every  seat  in 
the  school-house  was  occupied  and  I  could  take 
no  more  scholars.  At  the  close  of  my  quarter 
I  had  made  $  120,  a  large  sum  to  make  by  teach- 
ing school  at  that  time. 

CHURCH  WORK.  Venice  being  four  miles 
from  Paddy's  Run  and  the  church  still  vacant, 
I  usually  spent  Saturday  and  Sabbath  at  the 
latter,  visiting  the  families,  helping  the  Sunday- 
school,  now  large  and  interesting,  and  holding 
religious  services  in  Welsh  and  English.  The 
people  had  a  heart  to  work,  and  the  Lord 
blessed  the  church  with  nineteen  applicants  for 
membership.  Rev.  S.  F.  Scovel,  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Harrison,  ten  miles  away,  who  had 
often  preached  at  Paddy's  Run,  was  invited 
to  administer  the  ordinances,  and  receive  these 
new  members  into  the  church.  His  labors  for 


EARLY    EDUCATION.  67 

several  days  were  highly  appreciated,  and  re- 
sulted in  much  good. 

APPLICATION  FOR  LICENSUKE,  was  made  six 
months  before,  but  it  miscarried.  Since  my 
reception  under  the  care  of  Presbytery,  I  had 
attended  every  meeting,  and  performed  my 
parts  of  trial,  and  my  examinations  were  sus- 
tained. Two  candidates,  who  had  studied  the- 
ology two  years,  were  to  be  licensed.  Hav- 
ing performed  all  the  trial  parts  but  the  pop- 
ular sermon,  and  Dr.  Bishop  having  assigned  me 
a  text,  and  I  having  prepared  the  discourse 
which  he  examined  and  approved,  I  determined 
to  ask  for  licensure  at  that  meeting.  A  mem- 
ber of  Presbytery  opposed,  because  I  had  not 
met  the  requirements  of  the  Book  of  Disci- 
pline. He  asked  me  how  long  I  had  studied 
theology. 

I  replied.  "  From  a  child,  I  have  studied  the 
Holy  Scriptures." 

"  Young  man,  you  evade  my  question.  When 
did  you  graduate  ?  " 

"  A  year  ago." 

"What  have  you  been  doing  since?" 

"  Studying  theology  under  the  professors  at 
Oxford." 

"  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  going  around 
preaching,  running  before  you  are  sent  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  for  three  or  four  years  I  have,  as 


68  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

God  helped  me,  addressed  the  people  that  came 
to  hear  me  on  religious  subjects." 

"  Do  you  take  a  text  and  go  into  the  pulpit 
like  a  regular  minister  ?  " 

"If  there  is  a  pulpit,  I  generally  enter  it, 
for  advantage  in  delivering  my  message,  and 
I  would  read  a  text  as  a  good  starting  point." 

The  good  brother,  with  considerable  feeling, 
then  said  :  "Young  man,  your  course  has  been 
disorderly,  and  you  have  not  met  the  demands 
of  the  book  as  it  regards  time.  I  am  there- 
fore opposed  to  your  getting  a  license,"  add- 
ing, "  Indeed  brethren,  I  feel  that  the  young 
man  deserves  a  censure." 

I  withdrew  my  application,  and  the  Presby- 
tery took  no  action,  but  had  a  recess  for  an  hour. 
Dr.  Bishop,  with  his  usual  kindness,  said  to  me 
in  his  room  :  "  Bear  this  disappointment  cheer- 
fully, and  submit  to  the  will  of  the  Presbytery ; 
but,  you  need  not  give  up  your  public  speak- 
ing ;  only  don't  go  into  the  pulpit,  or  announce 
your  text,  and  next  spring  you  will  find  the 
Presbytery  ready  to  grant  you  a  license." 

As  previously  narrated,  I  went  to  Venice, 
spent  three  happy  months  in  teaching  and  in  gos- 
pel labors,  honored  of  God  at  Paddy's  Run,  de- 
voting what  time  I  could  to  theological  study 
and  writing  sermons. 

LICENSED  TO  PBEACH.    April  7, 1835,  Pres- 


EARLY   EDUCATION.  69 

bytery  met  in  Oxford,  with  a  full  attendance. 
My  application  for  licensure  was  renewed,  and 
Dr.  Bishop  moved  that  my  popular  sermon  be 
heard.  It  was  approved,  and  my  old  friend 
who  objected  six  months  before,  and  thought  I 
was  disorderly  and  worthy  of  censure,  moved 
that  Presbytery  now  proceed  to  license  the 
young  brother.  He  was  very  cordial,  and  bade 
me  God-speed  in  preaching  the  gospel  and  in 
winning  souls  to  Christ  and  his  church. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  OLD   HOME  AND   EAKLY   WORK. 

A  VISIT  TO  WALES.  Introduced  into  the 
ministry,  a  field  of  labor  was  open  for  me 
at  Paddy's  Run.  To  qualify  myself  for  preach- 
ing in  the  Welsh  language,  I  determined  to  visit 
my  native  land.  A  venerable  uncle,  brother  to 
my  mother,  promised  to  defray  my  expenses. 
With  less  than  two  hundred  dollars  I  started 
on  my  journey  early  in  May.  I  was  three  days 
in  going  from  Cincinnati  to  Wheeling  on  a 
steamboat ;  thence  in  a  stage  on  the  National 
Road  to  Baltimore ;  thence  to  New  York,  a 
tedious  and  expensive  journey,  occupying  ten 
days. 

The  Black  Ball  liner,  "  Caledonia,"  was  to 
sail  for  Liverpool  in  two  days.  I  found  that  my 
funds  were  not  sufficient  to  take  cabin  passage 
at  $125. 

In  my  perplexity,  home-sick  and  discouraged, 
I  resolved  to  retrace  my  way  back  to  Ohio. 

MEETING  A  FRIEND.  On  the  dock,  I  made 
the  acquaintance  of  a  young  Scotchman,  return- 
ing from  an  exploring  tour  in  the  States,  and 
(70) 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    71 

being  short  of  money  he  had  taken  steerage 
passage.  I  found  that  he  was  a  Presbyterian, 
intelligent,  an  experienced  traveller,  and  very 
companionable.  He  kindly  took  me  for  a  part- 
ner, and  this  encouraged  me  to  continue  my  trip. 
We  bought  our  steerage  tickets  for  $25  each, 
bought  our  mattrass  and  bedding,  laid  in  our 
provisions  and  cooking  utensils,  and  sent  them 
to  the  ship.  We  had  a  berth  near  the  hatch- 
way, with  only  a  few  fellow-passengers  ;  and  the 
outlook  for  a  pleasant  voyage  was  encouraging, 
and  that  we  would  enjoy  life  on  the  ocean 
wave. 

Out  at  Sea.  We  had  fair  weather  two  days, 
but  on  the  third,  in  a  storm,  sea-sickness  cap- 
tured me,  and  I  was  nearly  a  week  in  my  berth. 
My  friend  was  a  brother  indeed,  and  ministered 
as  an  angel  of  mercy  while  I  was  a  helpless  suf- 
ferer. On  a  calm  day  he  almost  forced  me  out 
of  my  berth  and  helped  me  on  deck.  This  was 
a  curative  movement,  and  I  soon  recovered. 
The  last  half  of  our  thirty  days'  voyage  I  really 
enjoyed,  and  rendered  efficient  help  in  reducing 
our  store  of  provisions. 

On  the  dock  at  Liverpool,  with  real  regret,  I 
parted  with  Thomas  Lomax,  the  young  Scotch- 
man, a  true  friend,  a  brother  beloved  in  the 
Lord. 

IN   A   WELSH  SUNDAY-SCHOOL.     In  Liver- 


72  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

pool,  where  I  remained  several  clays,  on  Sunday 
I  found  the  Great  Cross  Hall  Street  Welsh 
chapel.  It  was  the  Sunday-school  hour.  As  I 
entered  I  was  greeted  in  the  language  in  which 
I  was  born,  and  invited  to  take  a  seat  in  a  large 
class  of  men,  each  with  his  Bible  in  his  hand. 
The  Welsh  method  of  teaching  was  in  full  play. 
Teacher  and  scholars,  with  great  freedom  and 
knowledge  of  the  Divine  Word,  were  asking  and 
answering  questions  and  expressing  their  views. 
The  class  was  evidently  made  up  of  men  in 
humble  life,  artisans  and  laborers,  but  they  were 
well  instructed  in  the  Word  of  God. 

At  the  close  of  the  session,  which  had  con- 
tinued nearly  two  hours,  the  teacher  asked  me 
what  part  of  Wales  I  was  from,  and  where  I 
lived  in  Liverpool. 

I  replied  that  I  was  an  American,  just  landed, 
from  New  York. 

"  I  should  think  you  had  been  in  Sunday- 
schools  in  that  country  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have,  and  have  shared  largely  in  the 
benefits  it  confers." 

"  Are  you  a  preacher  ?  " 

I  showed  him  my  license,  and  he  invited  me 
to  go  with  him  to  the  chapel-house  and  meet 
the  minister  supplying  the  church.  I  gladly 
accepted  his  kind  offer,  and  was  introduced  to 
Rev.  William  Williams  of  Wern  (his  home  in 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    73 

Wales),  one  of  the  trio  of  celebrated  Welsh 
preachers,  Christmas  Evans,  John  Elias,  and 
Williams  of  Wern.  He  read  my  credentials 
and  gave  me  a  hearty  greeting,  sajung  as  he  held 
my  hand  :  "  Well,  well,  a  young  Welsh  preacher 
from  Ohio.  God  bless  you  my  young  friend.'' 
He  inquired  where  iny  parents  had  lived  in 
Wales. 

"  In  Bala,  North  Wales." 

"  Yes,  I  knew  a  family  there  of  your  name. 
They  went  to  America  many  years  ago,  and  I 
heard  that  Mr.  Chidlaw  died  soon  after  they 
arrived,  and  I  never  heard  of  the  family  after- 
wards." 

I  told  him  that  I  was  his  son  and  that  my 
mother  was  alive.  He  was  greatly  interested 
in  my  statements,  and  expressed  his  great  pleas- 
ure in  meeting  a  Bala  boy  from  America. 

WELSH  PREACHING.  He  invited  me  to  preach, 
but  I  declined,  being  anxious  to  hear  him.  In 
the  afternoon  the  chapel  was  crowded  with  a 
grand  audience.  He  preached  from  the  words, 
John  10 :  10,  "I  am  come  that  they  might  have 
life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abun- 
dantly." His  subject  was  "  The  mission  of 
Christ."  The  sermon  was  a  marvellous  presen- 
tation of  the  gospel,  gushing  from  his  strong  and 
clear  intellect,  warm  heart  and  eloquent  lips. 
Hundreds  were  melted  into  tears,  while  the 


74  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

chapel  resounded  with  loud  "  Amens,"  and  ejac- 
ulations of  praise,  "  gogoniant  i  Dduw  "  (glory 
to  God  for  the  great  salvation). 

The  manner  of  the  distinguished  preacher, 
his  melodious  well-modulated  voice,  his  power 
of  language  and  illustrations,  his  powerful,  yet 
tender  appeals  to  the  conscience  and  heart,  still 
ring  in  my  ears. 

After  the  meeting  I  was  invited  to  tea  at  the 
house  where  he  was  entertained.  His  conver- 
sation was  savored  with  grace,  full  of  instruc- 
tion and  encouragement,  just  what  I  needed, 
and  on  which  my  soul  sweetly  feasted.  He  in- 
vited me  to  preach  in  the  evening,  but  I  begged 
to  be  excused.  In  a  very  pleasant  way  he  said  : 
"  Well,  my  boy,  we  expect  to  hear  you,  and  we 
will  manage  it  in  the  way  we  do  with  our  young 
preachers.  You  shall  open  the  service  and 
preach  first,  and  I  will  follow.  Take  heart,  the 
Master  will  help  you." 

As  I  sat  in  the  pulpit  facing  that  great  audi- 
ence my  soul  was  faint  within  me.  Observing 
this  he  placed  his  hand  on  my  knee,  and  in 
words  of  tenderness  and  sympathy  said :  "  I 
am  glad  that  you  feel  the  gravity  of  your  posi- 
tion and  duty  as  a  young  preacher.  Don't  fear  ! 
Remember,  this  congregation  will  meet  you  at 
the  judgment  seat."  These  faithful  and  im- 
pressive words  calmed  my  mind  and  delivered 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    75 

me  from  the  fear  of  man,  and  my  message  on 
the  triumphs  of  the  gospel,  revealing  the  king- 
ship of  Christ,  was  delivered  with  freedom. 
Mr.  Williams  followed  in  a  sermon  of  great 
power,  with  a  repetition  of  the  scenes  attend- 
ing the  afternoon  service.  Such  demonstra- 
tions are  peculiar  to  the  Welsh  people  when 
high  up  on  the  mount  and  moved  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  society  of  that  man  of  God,  and 
hearing  his  sermons,  made  my  sojourn  in  Liv- 
erpool a  special  privilege,  and  a  great  spiritual 
blessing. 

REACHING  WALES.  Journeying  on  top  of  a 
coach,  through  a  beautiful  and  well-cultivated 
country,  sixty  miles  to  Welshpool,  I  went 
thence,  six  miles  on  foot  to  Mivod,  the  home  of 
my  uncle,  where  I  was  heartily  welcomed. 
After  resting  a  few  days  in  pleasant  company, 
and  enjoying  home  life,  I  was  invited  to  preach, 
and  deliver  a  temperance  address  in  the  village 
chapel.  A  preacher  from  America  was  an  at- 
traction, and  temperance  was  a  new  subject. 
The  chapel  was  crowded.  Much  interest  was 
excited  on  the  subject  of  total  abstinence,  and  a 
temperance  society  was  organized,  the  first  in 
that  part  of  Wales. 

BECOMING  AN  ITINERANT  PREACHER.  Then 
it  was  customary  for  ministers  to  make  evan- 
gelistic tours  among  the  churches.  My  brethren 


76  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

arranged  a  line  of  appointments  for  a  month, 
and  my  uncle  furnished  a  Welsh  mountain 
pony  that  served  me  well.  I  had  two  appoint- 
ments each  week  day,  and  three  on  the  Sabbath. 
My  congregations  were  large  and  interested, 
and  on  several  occasions  quite  demonstrative  in 
loud  "  Amens,"  and  ejaculations  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving,  with  an  occasional  clapping  of 
hands,  reminding  me  of  the  forty-seventh  Psalm, 
"  O  clap  your  hands,  all  ye  people  ;  shout  unto 
God  with  the  voice  of  triumph." 

On  my  circuit,  I  had  the  company  of  minis- 
ters and  laymen  that  was  very  agreeable  and 
edifying;  and  shared  the  Christian  hospitality, 
generous  and  genial,  of  many  families,  delighted 
with  the  happy  religious  life  of  the  home  where 
the  domestic  altar  was  erected,  and  the  Bible 
honored.  This  itinerancy,  in  the  lovely  val- 
leys and  among  the  lofty  mountains  of  North 
Wales,  scenery  grand  and  picturesque,  was 
always  a  source  of  pleasure  ;  and  the  constant 
use  of  the  vernacular  was  a  great  advantage  in 
familiarizing  me  with  it,  so  that  I  have  retained 
a  knowledge  of  it,  and  use  it  to  the  present  time 
in  my  labors  among  our  Welsh  immigrants. 

The  Sunday-school  and  its  Divine  text-book, 
has  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  Welsh 
people.  Old  and  young,  master  and  servants, 
attend,  and  together  search  the  Scriptures  and 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    77 

reap  the  benefit  as  seen  in  the  type  of  their 
earnest,  consistent  religious  lives.  The  congre- 
gation which  I  addressed  in  the  morning,  made 
up  the  Sunday-school  in  the  afternoon.  The 
Welsh  idea  of  attendance  on  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  in  their  case  it  is  practical,  is  that 
it  begins  at  the  cradle,  and  terminates  at  the 
grave. 

A  Greeting.  After  an  evening  meeting  in  a 
chapel  among  the  mountains  of  Caernarvon,  an 
aged  disciple  grasped  my  hand,  and  said  :  "  If 
you  are  from  America,  thank  God,  you  preach 
the  same  glorious  gospel,  that  we  have  in  Wales. 
The  Lord  help  you  in  your  work,  and  keep  you 
at  it  very  long." 

Field  Meetings.  Having  finished  my  circuit 
work,  I  attended  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Calvinistic  Methodist  church  of  Wales,  at  Bala. 
The  ecclesiastical  business  was  chiefly  transacted 
in  committees,  and  for  three  days  we  heard 
their  prominent  preachers.  Six  sermons  were 
preached  daily,  and  heard  by  immense  congre- 
gations. The  pulpit  was  a  wagon,  around 
which,  this  great  audience,  people  from  all  parts 
of  the  Principality,  would  stand  for  hours,  de- 
lighted hearers  of  the  word. 

Rev.  John  Elias,  one  of  the  trio  of  great 
Welsh  preachers  of  the  period,  occupied  the 
morning  hour  and  preached  a  characteristic  dis- 


78  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

course.  He  was  a  man  of  medium  size,  and  of 
solemn  mien,  with  a  voice  of  great  compass — 
earnest,  and  impressive  in  manner,  with  a  won- 
derful command  of  language.  His  text  was 
Is.  6  :  10,  "  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat," 
etc.  The  sermon  was  logical,  and  argumenta- 
tive ;  a  vindication  of  Divine  sovereignty  that 
would  have  honored  John  Calvin.  Its  delivery 
elicited  but  few  "  Amens." 

In  the  afternoon  another  celebrated  preacher, 
Rev.  John  Jones,  of  Llanllyfni,  appeared  in  the 
wagon  with  over  5000  hearers  ready  to  hear  his 
message.  His  appearance,  genial  and  dignified, 
impressed  us  favorably.  He  discoursed  elo- 
quently, and  with  power  that  moved  his  great 
and  attentive  audience,  on  the  text,  "And  ye 
will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life,"  John  5 :  40.  John  Elias  stood  on  Sinai 
amid  its  gloom  and  terror ;  John  Jones,  on 
Calvary  crimsoned  with  the  blood  of  the  Son  of 
God  who  died  for  our  sins.  With  great  clear- 
ness, he  explained  Divine  sovereignty,  and 
human  responsibility,  honored  God,  and  en- 
couraged the  sinner  to  come  to  Christ.  The 
Divine  economy,  the  simple  gospel,  flowing 
from  his  enraptured  soul  and  fervid  lips,  pro- 
duced a  marvellous  effect  upon  the  audience. 
Such  enthusiasm  and  outbursts  of  rejoicing, 
and  praise  to  God  who  "  so  loved  the  world,  that 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    79 

he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life,"  was  truly  wonderful.  After 
the  preaching,  the  people  in  groups  would 
stand  and  unite  in  singing  favorite  hymns; 
and  in  concert  recite  passages  of  Scripture  sug- 
gested by  the  sermon,  as  Is.  53d  chapter.  In 
some  groups  there  would  be  hand  clapping  and 
jumping,  with  shouts  of  "  Gogoniant  i  Dduw  " 
(glory  to  God,)  and  "  Diolch  byth  "  (everlasting 
thanks).  There  was  no  disorder,  or  confusion  ; 
reverence  marked  it  all.  It  was  to  me  true  and 
sincere,  free  from  cant  and  sham,  produced  by 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  These  people,  so 
emotional  in  their  nature,  so  well  instructed  in 
divine  things,  with  their  deep  religious  experi- 
ence, were  honest  and  truthful  in  this  enthusi- 
astic demonstration.  I  was  informed  that  it 
was  the  most  devoted  and  consistent  professors 
that  engaged  in  what  some  might  consider  as  ex- 
travagant bodily  exercise  ;  but,  in  their  case,  it 
was  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience ;  a 
testimony  of  their  faith,  and  love  for  their 
Saviour,  and  delight  in  his  service. 

RETURNING  HOME.  After  two  months  of 
pleasant  sojourning  in  Wales,  enriched  in  my 
Christian  experience,  I  returned  to  my  country, 
my  home  and  service,  and  entered  upon  the 
work  of  the  ministry  at  Paddy's  Run,  preaching 


80  THE  STORY  OF    MY   LIFE. 

in  both  languages.  I  found  openings  in  sur- 
rounding school  districts  to  establish  Sunday- 
schools,  and  to  preach. 

These  outside  labors  made  me  acquainted 
with  the  people,  and  contributed  to  the  increase 
of  my  home  congregation.  God  smiled  upon 
our  labors,  and  twenty  converts  were  added  to 
the  church.  Encouraged  by  these  tokens  of 
Divine  favor,  the  people  had  a  heart  to  work. 
The  meeting-house,  built  of  bricks  in  1818,  was 
refurnished ;  rough  benches  were  superceded  by 
comfortable  seats,  and  other  improvements  made. 
The  Sunday-school  was  prosperous,  and  the 
meetings  for  religious  conference  and  prayer 
well  attended,  developing  the  talent  and  piety 
of  our  new  members,  uniting  and  strengthen- 
ing the  church  in  building  up  the  cause  of 
Christ  in  the  community. 

In  January,  1836,  I  spent  a  week  in  Cincin- 
nati, preaching  and  doing  pastoral  work  among 
the  Welsh  immigrants  in  the  city,  who  were  as 
sheep  without  a  shepherd.  Our  meetings  were 
held  in  a  private  house  on  Sixth  street  near 
Elm.  Arrangements  were  made  to  establish  a 
Sunday-school  and  to  secure  a  place  of  worship, 
with  the  prospect  of  future  enlargement. 

A  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  MEETING,  was  held  during 
my  visit  in  the  Columbia  Street  Presbyterian 
church,  Rev.  Dr.  Thornton  A.  Mills,  pastor.  I 


THE  OLD  HOME  AND  EARLY  WORK.    81 

was  invited  to  speak  on  the  Sunday-school  work 
in  Wales,  and  referred  to  the  efforts  I  had  made 
at  home  since  my  return.  At  the  close  of  the 
meeting  I  was  introduced  to  B.  J.  Seward,  Esq., 
agent  of  the  American  Sunday-School  Union  for 
the  Mississippi  Valley,  who  desired  to  meet  me 
the  next  day  at  the  Depository,  corner  of  Fifth 
and  Main  streets.  He  proposed  that  I  should 
enter  the  service  of  the  society.  But  this  I 
could  not  do,  as  I  was  employed  in  another 
field.  He  then  suggested  that  I  should  devote 
one-fourth  of  my  time  in  establishing  schools  in 
Butler  county,  and  receive  $100,  per  annum, 
given  by  the  Sunday-school  Missionary  Associa- 
tion of  the  Pearl  Street  Presbyterian  church, 
New  York,  of  which  he  was  an  elder.  Return- 
ing home,  I  laid  the  matter  before  the  church, 
and  the  arrangement  was  consummated. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ORDINATION,   MARRIAGE  AND   MINISTRY. 
(IN   WALES.) 

A  KIND  OFFER.  At  this  time,  one  of  my 
aged  parishioners,  Mr.  William  Gwilym, 
said  to  me :  "  You  need  books.  I  have  no  money, 
but  I  will  let  you  have  ten  acres  of  good  land  to 
plant  in  corn.  You  know  how  to  cultivate  it, 
and  you  will  raise  from  600  to  700  bushels  of 
corn  and  can  sell  it  for  15  to  20  cents  a  bushel 
and  this  will  help  you  to  get  books."  While 
this  kind  offer  was  under  advisement  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union  came  to  my 
help.  This  was  a  turning  point  in  my  life.  God 
opened  another  and  a  better  way  to  replenish 
my  library.  Cultivating  the  cornfield  might 
have  been  a  temptation  to  worldliness,  but  this 
led  me  to  a  line  of  service  more  congenial  and 
useful. 

ORDINATION.  At  the  spring  meeting  of  the 
Oxford  Presbytery  in  1836,  the  Paddy's  Run 
Congregational  church  by  its  representative, 
Deacon  David  Francis,  made  application  for  my 
ministerial  services  and  ordination.  The  Pres- 

(82) 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.     83 

bytery  had  always  favored  this  church  and  its 
members  for  many  years,  had  preached  and 
administered  the  ordinances,  and  now,  my 
ordination  was  another  evidence  of  its  liber- 
ality and  fostering  care,  which  the  church 
highly  appreciated. 

May  26th  the  ordination  took  place,  an  event 
of  much  interest  in  the  community.  Rev.  A.  B. 
Gilliland,  of  Millville,  presided,  and  preached 
the  sermon.  Rev.  Samuel  Smith,  of  Venice, 
charged  the  congregation,  and  Rev.  Sylvester 
F.  Scovel,  of  Harrison,  the  pastor.  The  follow- 
ing Sabbath,  Rev.  John  W.  Scott,  D.D.,  my 
professor  at  Oxford,  assisted  at  our  communion, 
and  in  the  reception  of  new  members.  His 
preaching  and  intercourse  with  the  people  we 
all  enjoyed. 

MARRIAGE.  The  next  week,  an  important 
event  in  my  life  transpired.  I  was  united  in 
marriage  by  Dr.  Scott,  to  Miss  Hannah,  daugh- 
ter of  Morgan  and  Elizabeth  Gwilym,  who 
emigrated  from  Wales  in  1795,  and  settled  in 
this  place  when  an  unbroken  forest  in  1802,  a 
godly  and  worthy  family. 

A  small  frame  house  with  two  rooms  and  a 
large  garden,  I  rented  for  fourteen  dollars  a 
year.  My  father-in-law  gave  me  a  good  horse, 
saddle,  and  bridle,  and  Mrs.  Gwilym  gave  her 
daughter  a  comfortable  outfit,  which  enabled 


84:  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

us  to  commence  housekeeping.  And  never  did 
kindred  hearts  begin  domestic  life  with  greater 
pleasure  ;  our  cup  was  full,  the  Lord  had  blessed 
us  with  a  home,  a  field  of  labor,  and  encourag- 
ing propects  at  home,  and  in  the  regions  beyond. 
A  number  of  new  Sunday-schools  were  estab- 
lished, and  preaching  places  multiplied  as  this 
Sunday-school  extension  advanced,  our  home 
congregation  increased,  and  souls  were  con- 
verted. 

A  USEFUL  SUNDAY-SCHOOL.  The  school  I 
organized  in  "  Green's  School-house,"  Crosby 
township,  Elder  Green  of  the  Venice  Presby- 
terian Church,  five  miles  off,  becoming  superin- 
tendent, it  was  very  prosperous.  I  visited  the 
school  monthly,  and  preached  to  a  good  congre- 
gation, most  of  whom  seldom  heard  the  gospel, 
or  were  interested  in  religion.  Two  of  the 
scholars,  John  and  Sarah  Wilkins,  by  attending 
the  Sunday-school  and  reading  the  Bible  were 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  sin,  their  need  of  a 
Saviour,  and  they  inquired  what  they  must 
do  to  be  saved.  I  gave  them  instruction,  and 
encouragement  to  give  themselves  first  to  the 
Lord,  and  then  to  his  people,  according  to  his 
will,  and  felt  very  hopeful  concerning  them. 
Soon,  I  heard  that  John  was  seriously  sick ;  at 
once,  I  went  to  his  home  four  miles  from  my 
own.  The  father  received  me  very  coolly,  but 


ORDINATION,   MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.     85 

the  mother  gave  me  a  hearty  welcome,  and  took 
me  to  the  room  where  her  suffering  son  was 
found.  He  was  glad  to  see  me,  asked  me  to 
pray  for  him,  and  to  converse  on  the  subject  of 
religion.  He  expressed  his  trust  in  Jesus,  and 
his  consciousness  that  his  sins  were  pardoned, 
and  his  soul  was  filled  with  peace  through  the 
atoning  blood,  and  the  witness  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

After  this  delightful  interview  with  the  suf- 
ferer, and  conversation  with  the  family,  I 
returned  home,  rejoicing  in  what  I  had  seen 
and  heard  of  the  grace  of  God  abounding  to  a 
poor  sinner. 

In  a  few  days,  the  aged  father  sent  for  me. 
As  John  was  near  death,  and  anxious  to  see 
me,  I  hastened  to  comply  with  his  request,, 
He,  weeping,  met  me  at  the  gate,  saying : 
"  John  is  my  best  boy,  and  he  is  going  to  die." 
I  found  him  a  great  sufferer,  but  able  to  con- 
verse. He  desired  to  make  a  profession  of 
religion,  to  be  baptized,  to  unite  with  the 
church,  and  to  receive  the  Lord's  Supper.  I 
hastened  home.  Two  of  our  deacons,  and  sev- 
eral of  the  members,  in  a  two-horse  wagon, 
taking  with  us  the  communion  service,  made 
our  way  to  the  home  of  the  dying  disciple. 

We  held  a  church  meeting,  and  heard  from 
his  dying  lips,  of  what  God  had  done  for  his 


86  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

soul,  and  his  earnest  wish  to  be  received  into 
the  church,  and  to  partake  of  the  sacraments.  He 
was  received,  and  the  ordinances  administered. 
Though  weak,  he  was  able  to  tell  us,  "  I  am  now 
happy,  and  ready  to  die.  Jesus  Christ  remem- 
bered me,  and  now  I  have  remembered  him." 
As  Jacob  said,  awakening  from  his  sleep  on  the 
pillow  of  stone,  "  This  is  none  other  but  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven," 
so  we  could  say  in  this  farm-house,  and  in  the 
chamber  of  this  dying  child  of  God,  waiting 
joyously,  to  pass  from  his  earthly  to  his  heavenly 
home.  The  aged  parents,  brother,  and  sisters, 
in  tears,  witnessed  this  solemn  scene,  heard  his 
testimony  and  earnest  words  beseeching  them 
to  believe  in  Christ,  to  accept  his  great  salva- 
tion, and  to  live  for  his  honor  and  glory. 

In  a  few  days  he  peacefully  departed  and 
entered  into  rest.  His  funeral  was  attended 
by  a  large  concourse  of  people,  most  of  whom 
were  careless  and  indifferent  to  the  claims  of 
religion.  The  hour  gave  me  a  golden  oppor- 
tunity to  reiterate  the  testimony  of  John  Wil- 
kins,  of  the  power  and  willingness  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  to 
God  by  him ;  that  religion  in  the  soul,  Christ 
in  us  the  hope  of  glory,  can  take  away  the  sting 
of  death,  light  the  dark  valley,  and  minister 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.     87 

an  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting  king- 
dom of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

A  GROVE  MEETING.  My  people  expressed 
a  desire  to  hold  a  protracted  meeting,  but  our 
house  of  worship  was  not  large  enough  to  ac- 
commodate the  congregation  that  we  expected. 
Hence,  at  the  farm  of  Morris  Jones,  a  mile  from 
the  chapel,  in  a  pleasant  grove,  a  platform  was 
erected,  with  tiers  of  seats  in  front,  boards  laid 
on  parallel  lines  of  logs,  sufficient  to  accommo- 
date five  hundred  people.  Our  meetings  for 
prayer  and  preaching  continued  five  days. 
Rev.  Andrew  Benton  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  was  with 
me,  and  rendered  efficient  help  ;  and,  best  of  all, 
God  was  with  us,  quickening  his  people,  and 
converting  precious  souls,  among  them  Mrs. 
Daniel  Wilkins  and  her  daughter  Sarah.  The 
aged  father  attended  and  was  impressed  by  the 
truth,  and  interested,  but  remained  undecided. 
With  his  wife  and  daughter,  he  became  a  regu- 
lar attendant  on  our  Sabbath  services,  and  in 
conversation  with  him,  I  found  that  he  was 
anxious  about-  his  soul,  and  that  he  would 
attend  our  church  meeting. 

To  our  great  satisfaction,  the  aged  man 
attended  church-meeting,  seeking  a  name  and 
a  place  among  the  people  of  God.  Weeping, 
and  in  broken  language,  he  related  his  exper- 
ience :  "  My  parents  in  Pennsylvania  were 


88  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Lutherans.  I  was  baptized,  learned  the  cate- 
chism, was  confirmed,  and  took  the  sacrament 
when  I  was  a  boy  of  sixteen.  I  thought  that 
was  all  there  was  in  religion,  till  John  died. 
Now  I  know  better.  I  am  a  poor  sinner,  trust- 
ing in  Jesus  Christ  as  he  did,  and  now,  I  want 
to  be  a  true  Christian  and  unite  with  the 
church."  As  a  penitent,  repenting  and  believ- 
ing in  Jesus,  he  was  welcomed  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  people  of  God,  and  received  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  household  of  faith.  Sarah  witnessed 
a  good  profession,  and  died  early,  and  the  aged 
father  only  survived  a  few  years,  giving  cred- 
ible evidence  of  genuine  conversion,  and  dying 
in  the  faith.  The  venerable  mother  lived  sev- 
eral years,  a  happy  Christian,  useful,  and  hon- 
ored, and  left  this  world  assured  of  an  inherit- 
ance among  the  saints  in  light. 

HELPING  THE  PREACHER.  On  a  winter 
morning  a  wagon  stopped  in  front  of  my  dwell- 
ing, and  a  voice  inquired  if  the  preacher  lived 
there. 

I  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

The  man  in  the  wagon  said : 

"  I  am  working  for  old  man  Wilkins,  and  he 
sent  me  up  with  some  provisions  for  you." 

"  Very  well,  I  will  bring  a  basket  and  take 
them  in  the  house." 

Laughing,  the  man  said : 


ORDINATION,   MAREIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.    89 

"  You  can't  get  this  big  chunk  of  beef,  and 
this  bag  of  flour,  and  another  of  potatoes,  into 
any  basket  I  ever  saw.  I  will  shoulder  them, 
and  bring  them  in." 

And  so  he  did.  We  hardly  knew  how  to 
manage  such  a  quantity  of  provisions  sent  by 
our  generous  old  parishioner.  My  wife  bor- 
rowed a  tub  of  her  mother,  we  cut  the  beef,  and 
salted  it,  placed  the  bag  of  flour  in  one  corner 
of  the  kitchen,  and  the  potatoes  in  another.  As 
this  was  also  our  dining-room,  and  not  large, 
we  were  quite  crowded  by  such  a  large  supply 
of  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  inconvenience 
was  a  small  affair  compared  with  the  benefit 
conferred  upon  us. 

A  MISSIONARY  TOUR.  After  two  years  of 
successful  labor  in  my  own  congregation — 
establishing  Union  Sunday-schools,  and  preach- 
ing in  destitute  localities  in  Butler  county — I 
made  a  tour  in  1838  through  Northwestern 
Ohio,  then  a  new  country  and  sparsely  settled 
and  hence  an  inviting  field  for  missionary  labor. 
On  horseback,  with  my  large  saddle-bags  filled 
with  Testaments  and  Sunday-school  books,  on 
a  fine  autumnal  morning  1  left  my  home.  After 
leaving  Piqua,  Miami  county,  and  the  hospitable 
home  of  Colonel  Johnson,  a  few  miles  north,  I 
entered  the  new  settlements  with  their  log  cabins 
and  small  clearings.  Where  I  could  gather  a 


90  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

few  families  together  I  would  preach,  and  con- 
fer in  regard  to  the  organization  of  a  Sunday- 
school.  In  most  places,  for  the  want  of  interest 
and  suitable  officers  and  teachers,  I  found  it 
impracticable.  In  other  places  under  favorable 
circumstances  a  school  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
adults  and  children  could  be  established. 

A  Good  Opening.  In  Allen  county,  where  I 
found  a  few  families,  recently  from  Paddy's 
Run,  beginning  life  in  the  woods,  I  was  very 
cordially  welcomed,  the  first  minister  they  had 
seen  in  their  settlement.  I  preached  several 
times  in  the  cabin  of  Thomas  Watkins,  (still 
living,  in  1890)  and  a  Sunday-school  was  organ- 
ized, conducted  chiefly  in  the  Welsh  language. 

I  extended  my  explorations  into  Van  Wert 
county,  following  the  latest  wave  of  population 
that  flowed  into  its  borders.  In  traversing  the 
settlements,  I  found  several  religious  families, 
and  preached  in  their  cabins  to  small,  but 
interested  audiences.  In  three  settlements,  by 
uniting  the  religious  element,  weak  as  it  was  in 
this  heterogeneous  population,  schools  were 
established,  and  those  at  Long  Prairie  and  on 
the  Ridge  were  the  first  organized  in  the  county. 

As  I  travelled  through  the  country  it  was 
arranged  that  I  should  spend  a  Sabbath  at  the 
county  seat,  a  town  laid  out  in  the  forest,  with 
a  few  log  houses,  and  a  hewed  log  court-house, 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.     91 

not  quite  finished,  serving  as  a  temple  of  justice 
and  a  house  of  worship.  On  reaching  the  town 
from  Long  Prairie,  accompanied  by  quite  a 
number  of  people,  we  found  many  horses  hitched 
around  the  court-house,  and  people  seated  on 
the  logs  and  stumps  around  it.  Being  time  for 
service  I  entered  the  court-house  well  filled  with 
people,  and  found  another  preacher  on  the 
bench  ready  for  duty.  I  was  introduced  as  a 
Presbyterian  minister,  and  missionary  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  to  Rev.  W. 
Shingledecker,  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 
He  did  not  receive  me  very  graciously,  and 
insisted  that  this  was  his  appointment,  and  that 
he  must  officiate.  After  this  statement,  I  left 
the  bench,  and  took  my  seat  in  the  congrega- 
tion, occupying  a  split  log  bench.  One  of  the 
friends  who  came  with  me  to  town,  went  to 
Brother  Shingledecker,  and  conferred  with  him. 
I  was  called  up  to  the  bench,  and  informed 
that  a  compromise  had  been  effected.  The 
hour  would  be  divided.  I  was  to  speak  first, 
limited  to  half  an  hour.  I  introduced  the 
service  in  the  usual  way,  the  people  singing  an 
old  hymn  and  tune  with  the  spirit  of  praise 
and  gladness  of  heart  that  was  inspiring. 

I  preached  a  gospel  sermon  that  appeared  to 
interest  and  hold  the  attention  of  my  hearers. 
My  clerical  brother  was  an  attentive  listener, 


92  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

frequently  nodding  his  head  approvingly,  and 
occasionally  ejaculating  a  hearty  "  Amen."  My 
half  hour  was  up,  and  rny  sermon  half  delivered, 
but  according  to  agreement  I  must  close.  As 
I  paused  to  deliver  the  work  into  his  hands,  he 
stood  up,  and  said,  earnestly :  "  Don't  stop,  go 
right  on  and  finish."  So  I  continued  my  dis- 
course to  the  end. 

Our  Dinner.  A  friend  from  the  country 
invited  the  preachers  to  partake  of  his  hospi- 
tality, at  a  basket  dinner,  under  the  forest  trees 
standing  near  the  court-house.  After  dinner, 
my  brother  preacher  explained  matters.  He 
said:  "I  never  heard  but  one  Presbyterian 
preacher,  and  he  just  read  his  sermon  from 
paper :  it  was  all  writ  down  ;  "  adding,  "  That 
kind  of  preaching  don't  take  in  a  new  country, 
and  I  thought  you  were  one  of  that  kind ;  but 
when  Brother  Hill  told  me  that  you  preached 
off-hand,  and  not  from  paper,  I  agreed  to  divide 
the  time,  and  I  was  glad  to  give  you  all  of  it." 
In  the  afternoon,  I  addressed  the  people  in  the 
open  air  (for  the  court-house  would  not  seat 
them),  on  "Early  religious  training,  and  the 
Sunday-school  work."  At  can  die -lighting,  I 
preached  on  the  Ridge,  at  Brother  Priddy's,  a 
good  religious  family ;  helpers,  when  I  estab- 
lished the  Sunday -school  in  the  settlement ;  and, 
now,  its  earnest  and  faithful  supporters.  Thus 


ORDINATION,   MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.    93 

I  spent  a  month,  sowing  the  good  seed  on  virgin 
soil.  This  ended,  in  four  days  I  reached  my 
home  and  work. 

FRUIT  GATHERED.  Many  years  afterwards  I 
was  invited  to  preach  the  dedication  sermon  of 
a  Presbyterian  meeting-house  erected  at  Mid- 
dlepoint,  a  thriving  village  on  the  Pittsburg  and 
Ft.  Wayne  Railroad  in  Van  Wert  county,  where 
during  my  tour  in  1838,  in  a  log  cabin  house,  I 
had  established  a  Union  Sunday-school,  with 
Brother  Hill,  an  earnest  Christian,  for  superin- 
tendent. 

This  school,  with  its  Divine  text-book,  religi- 
ous literature,  and  oral  instruction,  lived  and 
prospered.  A  church  was  organized,  the  word 
of  the  Lord  preached,  and  this  house  of  God, 
neat  and  beautiful,  was  erected. 

Some  years  ago  I  was  invited  to  participate  in 
a  County  Sunday-school  Convention  to  be  held 
in  Van  Wert,  now  a  large  and  flourishing  town. 
The  convention  was  composed  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  men  and  women,  devoted  friends  of  the 
cause,  representing  the  fifty-six  Sunday-schools 
then  in  the  county,  where  forty -five  years 
before,  God  honored  me  and  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union  in  planting  the  first  school 
in  the  county. 

At  the  close  of  the  Convention,  a  Mr.  Gilli- 
land,  a  gray-headed  man,  was  introduced  to  me, 


94  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

who  said  :  "  When  I  was  a  boy,  you  came  to  our 
settlement,  a  missionary.  My  father  sent  me 
and  my  brother  to  invite  our  neighbors  to  our 
house  to  hear  you  preach.  You  had  a  house 
full  of  hearers,  and  that  was  the  first  sermon  I 
remember  hearing.  I  am  glad  that  in  old  age 
you  are  still  in  the  good  work." 

WALES  REVISITED.  In  1839,  while  busy, 
happy  and  blessed  in  my  pastoral  and  Sunday- 
school  missionary  work,  my  beloved  mother, 
then  over  seventy  years  of  age,  blessed  with 
health  and  vigor,  received  a  pressing  invitation 
from  her  aged  brother,  my  uncle,  to  visit  him  in 
Wales:  and,  if  I  would  accompany  her,  he 
would  defray  our  expenses.  She  was  anxious  to 
go,  but  that  I  should  go  with  her  seemed  impos- 
sible. Duty  to  such  a  mother,  who  had  done  so 
much  for  me,  and  to  my  church  and  family, 
placed  me  in  great  perplexity.  Seeking  Divine 
guidance,  conferring  with  my  church  and  loved 
ones,  and  casting  my  burden  on  the  Lord,  my 
decision  was  made  :  I  would  go,  and  return  to 
my  home  and  work  as  soon  as  possible. 
'  As  the  Pearl  Street  Sunday-school  Missionary 
Society  were  contributing  for  my  support,  I 
informed  them  of  my  purpose,  and  asked  if  they 
would  approve.  Soon,  I  received  a  letter  of 
consent  from  the  secretary,  Robert  Aikman,  Jr., 
and  a  kind  invitation,  when  we  reached  New 


ORDINATION",   MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.    95 

York,  to  make  his  father's  house  on  William 
street,  our  home  "  till  you  find  a  more  unsafe 
one  on  the  deep."  I  showed  this  letter,  beauti- 
ful in  chirography,  to  one  of  our  deacons,  who 
said :  "  Well,  that  young  man  writes  like  cop- 
per-plate. What  a  grand  writing-master  he 
would  make  !  " 

That  young  secretary  is  now  the  honored  pas- 
tor of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Madison,  N. 
J.,  an  able  and  faithful  minister,  having  served 
God  and  his  church  over  forty  years.  His  bow 
abides  in  strength,  and  his  eye  is  not  dimmed. 
In  May,  1889,  when  I  was  a  commissioner  in  the 
General  Assembly  at  New  York,  I  was  invited 
to  spend  a  Sabbath  with  him  and  his  beloved 
people,  a  privilege  I  greatly  enjoyed,  a  delight- 
ful reminder  of  our  early  days,  and  of  the  way 
the  Lord  had  led  us. 

Our  Journey  to  New  York — from  Radnor 
to  Sandusky,  was  in  a  wagon  ;  thence,  on  a 
steamboat  to  Buffalo,  and  in  a  canal-boat  to 
Albany,  and  on  the  Hudson  river  we  enjoyed  a 
pleasant  voyage  to  the  city,  and  were  well 
received  by  our  friends. 

After  spending  a  few  pleasant  days  in  the 
city,  visiting  families  connected  with  the  Pearl 
Street  church,  addressing  the  Sunday-school, 
and  preaching  on  the  Sabbath,  laden  with  the 
benefactions  of  our  kind  friends,  we  embarked  on 


96  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

the  packet-ship  "Columbus,"  and  in  twenty 
days  reached  Liverpool.  The  passage  was  on  a 
stormy  sea,  and  we  suffered  from  the  malady 
incident  to  such  a  voyage  ;  but  we  soon  recov- 
ered, and  enjoyed  sea  life,  beholding  the  wonders 
of  the  deep,  and  in  the  companionship  of  our 
fellow-voyagers. 

A  day  on  the  coach  brought  us  to  Penlan, 
(the  name  of  my  uncle's  farm)  and,  after  an 
absence  of  nearly  twenty  years,  the  aged 
brother  and  sister  with  joy  of  heart,  met  each 
other,  and  tears  gave  expression  to  the  delight 
they  experienced.  It  was  now  late  in  October. 
To  return  home  in  the  winter  seemed  impracti- 
cable ;  so  reluctantly,  we  abandoned  our 
cherished  purpose  of  returning  to  America  soon, 
and  concluded  to  remain  till  spring.  This  ar- 
rangment  was  a  sore  disappointment.  To  be 
absent  from  my  work  and  my  family  four  or 
five  months,  and  unemployed,  filled  my  heart 
with  heaviness,  and  I  was  in  sore  trouble. 

The  quiet  life  in  a  Welsh  farm-house,  with 
all  its  cheer  and  comfort,  soon  became  monoto- 
nous, and  my  anxiety  increased,  lest  I  had  run 
away  from  duty  and  displeased  my  heavenly 
Father,  and  it  became  a  heavy  burden  on  my 
heart,  and  I  could  find  no  relief. 

One  day,  my  kind  uncle  said :  "  Cheer  up, 
and  be  happy.  Come,  go  with  me  to  Mivod,"  a 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.     97 

village  a  mile  away.  On  our  way,  we  met  the 
splendid  equipage  of  Lord  Clive,  of  Powis  Castle. 
My  venerable  uncle  uncovered  his  head,  and 
bowed  gracefully,  while  his  American  nephew 
stood  like  a  statue,  gazing  on  the  nobleman  in 
his  coach  and  four.  My  uncle  inquired,  "  Why 
did  you  not  take  off  your  hat,  and  bow  to  Lord 
Clive?" 

"  Why,  uncle,  his  lordship  paid  no  attention 
to  us.  In  my  country  civilities  are  mutual ;  we 
are  all  of  the  nobility,  and  equal  before  the  law. 
My  elbow  joint  stiffened  in  America,  so  that  it 
cannot  be  used  in  that  way."  He  laughed 
heartily,  and  said:  "  I  will  have  your  elbow 
joint  examined  by  my  friend,  the  surgeon." 
Reaching  the  village  and  the  surgeon's  office, 
my  coat  was  removed,  and  my  elbow  carefully 
examined,  and  the  surgeon  pronounced  it  all 
right.  My  uncle  explained  the  incident  of  our 
meeting  Lord  Clive,  and  my  failure  to  pull  off 
my  hat,  and  the  reason  I  gave  for  my  conduct. 
The  surgeon  was  amused,  and  said  :  "  I  wish 
every  Welshman  in  our  country  had  the  same 
trouble  in  his  elbow."  Both  of  the  old  gentle- 
men were  radical  in  their  politics,  and  greatly 
enjoyed  the  joke,  and  on  the  strength  of  it  we 
had  a  very  social  tea-drinking. 

In  a  few  days,  a  minister  called,  and  invited 
me  to  accompany  him  to  a  conference  of  ministers 


98  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

in  a  neighboring  village.  This  kind  offer  I 
gladly  accepted ;  it  was  light  in  a  time  of  dark- 
ness, and  a  blessed  relief  to  rny  mental  depres- 
sion. Pleasant  fellowship  with  the  brethren, 
and  participating  in  religious  services,  revived 
my  fainting  heart,  and  I  felt  that  God  had  not 
cast  me  off. 

After  the  conference,  the  pastor  of  the  church 
invited  me  to  remain  and  assist  him  in  special 
meetings  which  he  desired  to  hold.  Large  con- 
gregations waited  on  God  in  the  sanctuary,  and 
evident  tokens  of  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  were  manifest.  At  the  suggestion 
of  the  pastor,  inquiry  meetings  were  held  after 
preaching,  and  at  the  close  of  four  days'  ser- 
vices, thirty  inquirers  professed  their  faith  in 
Jesus,  desired  to  make  a  public  profession,  and  to 
enter  the  service  of  God.  These  labors,  and  the 
blessed  results,  were  an  uplift  to  my  soul,  and  I 
could  say,  "  Unless  the  Lord  had  been  my  help, 
my  soul  had  almost  dwelt  in  silence,"  Ps. 
94:- IT.  Now,  my  burden  was  removed,  my 
spiritual  skies  were  bright,  the  winter  of  my 
discontent  was  passed,  and  I  could  and  did  re- 
joice in  the  summer  of  God's  favor  which  I 
once  more  enjoyed. 

A  PREACHING  TOUR.  According  to  the  cus- 
tom prevailing  in  Wales,  if  an  approved  min- 
ister desired  to  make  a  preaching  tour  among 


'  ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE    AND   MINISTRY.     99 

the  churches,  some  ministerial  friend  would  ar- 
range and  forward  the  appointments,  and  thus 
prepare  the  way.  This  was  done  for  me,  and 
my  uncle  furnishing  a  "  Merlin,"  a  mountain 
pony,  I  entered  upon  my  itinerancy.  The  friend 
who  made  the  arrangements  for  my  trip  went 
with  me  to  the  first  appointment.  It  was  in  a 
country  chapel,  beautiful  for  situation  among 
the  mountains.  The  natural  scenery  filled  me 
with  admiration,  beholding  the  works  of  God. 
The  chapel  crowded  with  hearers  that  "knew 
the  joyful  sound,"  delighted  to  hear  the  gospel, 
prepared  me  for  the  service,  and  I  enjoyed  min- 
istering to  them  in  spiritual  things.  It  was  the 
noon  hour.  With  the  pastor  and  my  friend,  we 
lunched  in  "  ty  y  Capel "  (the  chapel-house), 
where  the  itinerants  were  entertained,  and  in 
an  adjoining  stable  his  horse  was  fed.  After  this 
social  hour,  my  friend  left  me  in  charge  of  the 
pastor  of  this  church,  who  accompanied  me  to 
my  next  appointment,  ten  miles  distant. 

In  this  way  I  had  the  guidance  and  company 
of  a  brother  minister  or  a  deacon  all  the  time,  a 
very  pleasant  and  enjoyable  feature  of  my 
journey.  My  appointments  were  generally  in 
country  chapels  at  noon,  and  in  villages  or 
towns  in  the  evening.  The  ministers  and  other 
brethren  with  whom  I  associated,  were  cordial, 
and  ready  to  adopt,  when  indications  were  favor- 


100  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

able,  the  new  measure  I  had  introduced  of  hold- 
ing inquiry  meetings  after  preaching.  In 
several  places,  such  opportunities  were  afforded, 
and  from  five  to  twenty  inquirers  would  present 
themselves  for  conversation,  prayer,  and  en- 
couragement to  enter  upon  a  religious  life. 

I  found  that  the  pastors  and  revived  church 
members  could  carry  on  the  good  work  thus 
begun.  This  encouraged  me  in  preaching  and 
holding  these  after  meetings.  My  hearers  were 
well  taught  in  Divine  truth  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  by  their  pastors,  and  I  felt  that  I 
was  sowing  the  seed  of  the  Word  in  good  and 
prepared  soil,  that  these  awakened  souls  would 
be  well  cared  for,  gathered  into  the  fold  of 
Christ,  and  nurtured  for  a  steadfast,  useful  and 
happy  Christian  life.  My  appointments  allowed 
me  to  spend  two  days  in  Bala,  my  native  vil- 
lage. I  preached  twice  in  the  chapel,  where 
my  parents  worshipped  God,  and  where  I  was 
baptized,  and  received  in  my  early  childhood 
my  first  religious  impressions  and  loved  my 
Saviour. 

LLANUWCHLLYN  :  A  WONDERFUL  REVIVAL. 
The  last  Sabbath  of  1839  my  appointments  were 
at  the  old  chapel  of  Llanuwchllyn,  six  miles 
from  Bala.  This  was  one  of  the  largest  and 
oldest  Non-conforming  churches  in  Wales.  The 
pastor,  Rev.  Michael  Jones,  an  able,  learned, 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.  101 

and  earnest  servant  of  God  and  his  church,  had 
charge  of  several  outlying  congregations  among 
the  mountains,  which  also  enjoyed  the  labors 
of  itinerants  and  lay  preachers,  but  Mr.  Jones 
was  their  pastor,  and  administered  the  ordi- 
nances. 

This  faithful  minister  was  tried  by  difficul- 
ties in  his  church.  For  several  years  there  had 
been  serious  troubles,  the  ways  of  Zion  lan- 
guished, and  litigation  ensued.  In  the  mean- 
time the  pastor  continued  his  faithful  labors. 
Deprived  of  the  old  chapel,  he  cared  for  the 
flock,  holding  meetings  in  farm-houses,  and  in 
the  summer  in  the  open  air  on  the  hill-sides. 

Recently,  the  civil  court  decided  in  his  favor: 
that,  with  his  adherents,  a  majority  of  the  con- 
gregation, they  should  re-occupy  the  house  of 
the  Lord  that  their  fathers  had  built.  This 
was  the  dawn  of  a  better  day,  discord  ceased, 
and  the  voice  of  the  "  turtle  "  was  again  heard  in 
the  land.  The  re-occupancy  of  the  old  chapel 
in  October  was  celebrated  by  a  large  gathering 
of  ministers,  and  two  days  spent  in  praise, 
prayer  and  preaching.  These  memorial  ser- 
vices awakened  a  deep  religious  interest  in  the 
congregation,  and  prepared  the  way  of  the 
Lord  to  visit,  and  abundantly  to  bless  his  people. 

Saturday  I  spent  at  the  home  of  the  pastor, 
with  his  interesting  family,  and  friends  that 


102  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

called  on  me  to  talk  about  their  relatives  in 
Ohio,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  America. 
After  dinner,  Mr.  Jones  left  to  meet  his  ap- 
pointments for  the  Sabbath,  leaving  me  to  sup- 
ply his  pulpit. 

The  Sabbath  was  a  bright  and  mild  winter 
day  and  my  surroundings  were  delightful.  The 
chapel  stood  on  the  shore  of  Llyn  Tegid,  a 
charming  lake,  and  the  lofty  peaks  of  Aran 
and  Arenig  mountains  overshadowed  it.  Amid 
these  wonderful  works  of  the  God  of  nature 
and  of  redemption,  I  walked  to  the  sanctuary, 
trusting  in  his  gracious  promises  for  the  aid  I 
so  much  needed  for  the  services  of  the  day. 
The  forenoon  and  afternoon  meetings  passed, 
but  no  special  interest  developed  among  my 
hearers  crowding  the  chapel  to  its  full  capacity, 
and  I  felt  depressed  and  discouraged. 

In  leaving  the  chapel,  a  plain,  middle-aged 
man,  a  farmer,  invited  me  to  tea,  saying:  "It 
is  not  far,  and  I  would  like  your  company." 
His  conversation,  seasoned  with  grace,  cheered 
me,  and  the  burden  of  his  soul  in  regard  to  the 
salvation  of  sinners  was  very  encouraging  and 
helpful  in  relieving  me  of  my  discouragement. 

Introduced  to  his  wife  and  family,  I  was  es- 
corted into  a  cozy  parlor,  with  a  peat  fire  on  the 
hearth.  After  tea,  I  sat  meditating  and  prepar- 
ing for  the  evening  meeting,  when  a  young 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.  103 

woman  came  to  the  room,  and,  with  diffidence, 
said: 

"  I  would  like  to  speak  to  you." 

"  Certainly,  my  young  friend,  let  me  hear 
from  you." 

"  I  am  informed  that  you  hold  private  meet- 
ings after  preaching,  and  converse  personally 
with  those  that  attend  ; ' '  adding,  with  evident 
emotion,  "  If  you  will  hold  such  a  meeting  to- 
night, many  will  accept,  and  come  out  on  the 
Lord's  side." 

Her  unaffected  manner,  and  her  message, 
made  a  profound  impression  on  my  mind.  It 
was  a  revelation  of  faithfulness  in  duty,  and 
interest  in  the  salvation  of  souls,  that  filled  my 
soul,  and  inspired  my  fainting  heart  for  the 
evening  service. 

Another  Helper.  As  I  entered  the  chapel 
yard,  a  man  desired  to  speak  to  me.  Frequently 
people  would  accost  me,  to  inquire  if  I  knew 
their  relatives  in  America,  or  concerning  the 
country.  I  said  to  this  man,  "  If  you  wish  to 
see  me,  call  Monday  morning  at  the  parsonage, 
and  I  will  be  glad  to  talk  to  you."  He  replied, 
"  O,  sir,  that  is  not  what  I  want.  Here  are  my 
two  sons,  anxious  to  have  a  word  from  you  in 
regard  to  their  personal  salvation."  Clasping 
the  hands  of  these  stalwart  young  men,  I  gave 


104  THE   STORY    OF   MY   LIFE. 

them  a  word  of  encouragement  to  trust  in  Jesus, 
and  to  follow  him. 

With  very  unusual  feelings,  subdued  and 
trustful,  I  entered  the  crowded  chapel.  The 
pulpit  steps  were  occupied,  but  as  I  approached 
they  were  vacated,  and,  with  a  tremor  of  soul, 
I  found  my  way  to  the  place  where  I  was  to 
speak  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  singing 
indicated  a  fervor  and  spirit  that  I  had  not  ob- 
served before,  and,  during  prayer,  many  earnest 
"  Amens  "  reached  my  ears.  To  my  mind  and 
soul,  these  things  had  "the  sound  of  a  going  in 
the  tops  of  the  mulberry  trees,"  2  Sam.  5 :  24, 
and  a  glimpse  of  "  a  little  cloud  out  of  the  sea, 
like  a  man's  hand,"  1  Kings,  18 :  44. 

My  discourse  was  founded  on  the  text,  "  Give 
glory  to  the  Lord  your  God,  before  he  cause 
darkness,  and  before  your  feet  stumble  upon 
the  dark  mountains,  and  while  ye  look  for  light, 
he  turn  it  into  the  shadow  of  death  and  make 
it  gross  darkness,"  Jer.  13:16.  I  endeavored 
to  unfold  the  duty  enjoined — the  time  to  dis- 
charge it — and  an  earnest  appeal  now  to  accept 
Christ  and  confess  him  before  men, — to  glorify 
God  as  penitents  at  the  cross — sinners  saved  by 
grace,  and  not  in  the  darkness  and  doom  of  the 
impenitent  and  godless,  under  the  wrath  of  God 
forever.  A  solemn  stillness  pervaded  the  audi- 
ence, and,  instead  of  a  public  prayer  and  a  hymn 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.  105 

of  praise,  I  said  that  we  would  spend  five  min- 
utes in  silent  thought  and  prayer,  seeking  the 
convincing  and  converting  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  fill  the  chapel  and  every  unconverted 
heart. 

I  then  took  my  seat,  my  soul  overwhelmed 
within  me,  longing  for  the  manifestation  of  the 
power  and  glory  of  God  in  the  sanctuary,  and 
in- the  salvation  of  precious  souls.  Before  the 
five  minutes  of  silence  had  expired,  it  was 
broken  by  the  strong  cry  in  the  rear  of  the 
chapel,  *'  O,  Lord,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner," 
followed  by  outbursts  of  ejaculatory  prayer,  and 
weeping  all  over  the  congregation.  The  valley 
of  dry  bones  was  evidently  pervaded  by  the 
life-giving  Spirit  of  the  God  of  salvation. 

The  five  minutes  had  now  expired.  The 
house  of  the  Lord  was  indeed  a  Bochim,  and 
the  place  of  his  feet  glorious.  I  announced 
that  the  public  service  was  closed,  and  that  a 
society,  or  inquiry  meeting  would  be  held,  and 
earnestly  invited  all  who  were  convinced  of 
their  sin  and  were  seeking  salvation  to  remain. 
I  dismissed  the  congregation  with  the  usual 
benediction,  but  no  one  went  out.  The  tide 
was  evidently  rising,  manifested  in  sobs  and 
tears,  and  the  outcry  of  many  for  mercy  and 
the  forgiveness  of  sin.  Again,  I  dismissed  the 
audience,  but  there  was  no  movement  for  the 


106  THE  STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

doors.  I  knew  not  what  to  do ;  the  place,  and 
the  scenes  around  me  were  awful,  because  of 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  coming  out  of  his 
hiding  place  of  power  to  magnify  his  great 
Name  in  the  bestowment  of  his  love,  in  the 
awakening  and  converting  grace  so  gloriously 
bestowed.  I  had  never  before  such  an  experi- 
ence of  awe,  solemnity,  and  helplessness,  and  I 
knew  not  what  to  do  or  say. 

On  the  steps  of  the  pulpit  an  aged  man  was 
seated,  and  I  could  reach  his  shoulder.  I 
secured  his  attention,  and  inquired,  "  Are  you 
a  deacon?"  He  replied  that  he  was.  Then, 
I  asked  him  what  to  do.  With  evident  emo- 
tion, he  replied :  "  The  Lord  of  glory  is  in  his 
sanctuary,  and  blessed  be  his  holy  name." 
This  reply,  gushing  (in  the  grand  old  Welsh 
language)  from  the  full  heart  of  this  old  dis- 
ciple, revealed  that  his  soul  enjoyed  the  Divine 
presence,  but  it  afforded  no  relief  for  my  embar- 
rassment. 

With  difficulty  I  made  my  way  down  the 
crowded  steps  of  the  pulpit  and  found  another 
deacon,  but  he  was  high  up  on  the  mount  and 
wept  like  a  child,  and  knew  not  what  to  do. 
In  the  midst  of  the  slain  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
joy  of  salvation  welling  up  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  I  asked  some  one  to  offer  prayer.  This 
was  done,  and,  while  the  suppliant  was  pouring 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.  107 

out  his  soul  before  the  mercy  seat,  agonizing  in 
prayer,  others  cried  aloud  for  mercy,  and  some, 
in  thanksgiving,  loudly  praised  the  Lord.  After 
some  time,  silence  was  restored,  and  I  addressed 
the  inquirers.  While  I  was  speaking,  a  man 
fell  on  his  knees,  praying  fervently  for  pardon 
and  peace  with  God.  His  prayer  intensified 
the  feeling  of  the  people,  so  that  I  inquired 
who  he  was.  I  was  told  that  he  was  a  hard- 
ened scoffer,  the  last  man  in  that  community 
who  would  be  expected  thus  to  bow  before  the 
Lord,  confess  his  sins,  and  seek  salvation 
through  the  crucified  one. 

When  he  closed  his  earnest  prayer,  sometimes 
broken  and  incoherent,  but  evidently  sincere 
and  humble,  in  the  midst  of  much  excitement 
I  requested  the  people  to  sing  a  precious  old 
hymn.  This  was  done  with  the  spirit  cer- 
tainly, and  the  last  verse  repeated  over  and 
over.  At  the. close  of  this  hallelujah  song,  there 
followed  an  abatement  of  excitement.  I  asked 
all  who  that  night  having  sought  and  found  the 
Saviour,  and  had  decided,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to 
serve  him ;  and  all  who  were  seeking  salvation, 
to  stand  up.  One  hundred  and  fifty  thus  indi- 
cated what  the  Lord  had  done  for  them.  "  This 
is  the  Lord's  doing ;  it  is  marvellous  in  our 
eyes,"  Ps.  118  :  23. 

As  I  was  to  leave  the  next  day  to  meet  an 


108  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

appointment  ten  miles  distant,  and  feeling  anx- 
ious to  linger  a  little  longer  on  this  battle-field 
of  Zion,  and  to  have  personal  conversation  with 
these  converts  and  inquirers,  I  announced  a 
meeting  at  six  o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  at 
a  late  hour  the  congregation  dispersed. 

When  we  reached  the  home  of  the  pastor,  he 
had  just  returned  from  the  labors  of  the  day. 
His  daughter,  quite  excited,  told  him  of  our 
wonderful  meeting,  and  that  her  brother,  sister, 
and  two  domestics  had  remained  in  the  society, 
and  a  great  many  others.  The  father  was 
amazed,  and  blessed  the  name  of  the  Lord  for 
such  joyous  tidings.  After  some  conversation 
about  the  six  o'clock  meeting,  he  said :  "  Your 
prayer  and  conference  meeting  is  all  right,  but 
it  is  two  hours  before  daylight.  We  never  had 
a  meeting  at  such  an  early  hour,  and  the  people 
will  not  be  there.  However,  I  will  go  and  see  ; 
but  you  go  to  your  chamber  and  rest." 

"Father,"  said  the  daughter,  "if  you  had 
been  there  last  night  you  would  not  say  so. 
The  people  will  be  there,  and  we  will  all  go." 
At  five  o'clock  we  were  all  up,  and  after  our 
tea  and  toast,  and  family  worship,  we  left  for 
the  chapel,  a  mile  distant.  As  we  walked,  we 
could  see  lanterns  in  all  directions,  and  found 
the  chapel  well  filled.  The  cloud  that  rested 
on  us  the  night  before,  was  over  us  still,  and 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND   MINISTRY.  109 

the  shower  of  mercy  still  descended,  watering 
the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and  refreshing  pastor 
and  people.  Three  hours  were  spent  in  prayer 
and  praise,  instructing  inquirers,  encouraging 
the  babes  in  Christ,  and  in  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  this  gracious  visitation. 

The  way  of  the  Lord  had  been  prepared. 
For  several  months,  the  more  spiritual  and 
faithful  members  of  the  church  had  been  anx- 
iously concerned  about  the  low  state  of  religion 
in  the  church,  and  the  prevailing  neglect  of 
religion  in  the  congregation.  The  recent  re- 
union of  the  divided  church,  and  the  meeting 
that  celebrated  its  consummation,  and  the  re- 
occupancy  of  the  chapel,  was  the  dawn  of  a  day 
of  blessing.  The  young  woman,  whose  mes- 
sage, as  a  live  coal  from  the  altar,  glowed  in 
the  heart  of  the  preacher,  did  much  to  bring 
the  blessing.  In  the  farm-house,  there  served 
a  true  and  aged  Christian,  mighty  in  faith  and 
prayer,  who  always  believed  and  said  that  God 
would  not  forget  his  church,  but  surely  bring 
deliverance.  The  faithful  and  unremitting 
labors  of  the  pastor,  teaching  the  people  and 
watching  for  souls  through  the  long  years  of 
spiritual  declension  and  strife,  now  yielded  an 
abundant  harvest. 

These,  and  other  agencies,  were  at  work, 
preparing  the  way  for  the  preacher  from 


110  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

America,  who,  by  a  way  he  knew  riot,  was  led 
to  Llannwchllyn,  to  participate  in  this  wonder- 
ful work  of  grace,  and  to  rejoice  in  what  the 
Lord  did  for  his  people. 

Fifty  Years  Aftenvards.  In  1889,  while  attend- 
ing the  World's  Sunday-school  Convention  in 
London,  representing  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  I  was  invited  to  visit  this  old 
battle  field  of  Zion,  where,  half  a  century  ago, 
such  a  glorious  victory  had  been  won  for  Christ 
and  his  church.  The  old  chapel  had  given  way 
for  a  new  and  larger  structure,  the  church  and 
Sunday-school  were  prosperous,  and  though  the 
old  pastor  had  died,  his  successor,  Rev.  David 
Roberts,  supplied  his  place;  the  deacons  and 
nearly  all  of  the  members  of  the  church  had 
departed,  but  the  cause  remained  well  establish- 
ed, and  advancing.  At  the  close  of  my  sermon, 
the  pastor  said  nearly  all  of  the  two  hundred 
and  fifty  converts  in  the  revival  fifty  years  ago, 
had  emigrated  to  distant  parts  of  the  world, 
or  had  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus.  A  few  of  them 
yet  remained,  and  were  present,  and  he  would 
be  pleased  to  have  them  take  the  hand  of  the 
servant  of  God  now  with  them,  whose  labor 
God  had  so  eminently  blessed  fifty  years  ago. 
In  response,  several  aged  men  and  women  greeted 
me  cordially,  rejoicing  in  all  that  God  had  done 
for  us. 


ORDINATION,    MARRIAGE   AND    MINISTRY.  Ill 

A  DISCOVERY.  During  our  stay  in  Wales, 
mother  told  me.  that  when  we  emigrated  in 
1821,  a  chest  full  of  books  was  left  in  the  gar- 
ret of  our  house.  When  in  Bala  and  taking 
tea  with  an  old  friend  of  my  parents,  I  spoke 
of  these  books.  My  father  had  inherited  them 
from  the  estate  of  his  uncle,  Rev.  John  Chid- 
law,  who,  from  1752  to  1800,  was  pastor  of  the 
Crooks  Street  Presbyterian  church,  Chester, 
where  Rev.  Matthew  Henry,  the  celebrated  com- 
mentator, spent  many  years  of  faithful  labor. 
A  domestic  heard  my  statement  about  the  books, 
and  said  to  her  mistress  that  the  chest  was  in 
the  garret  of  our  old  house.  I  went  to  the 
house  and  made  inquiries.  The  loft  was 
examined,  and  the  books  found,  over  a  hundred 
volumes,  well  preserved,  valuable  theological 
and  historical  works,  Latin,  Greek,  English  and 
Welsh.  Among  them  were  a  black-letter  quarto 
Bible  of  1621,  and  the  Commentaries  of  John 
Calvin,  translated  into  English,  and  printed  in 
London,  1585.  These  books  were  carefully 
packed  and  safely  transported  to  their  destina- 
tion, a  valuable  addition  to  my  library  and  of 
great  service  in  niy  studies. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PIONEER   WORK  IN   OHIO. 

DETURNING  HOME.  On  our  departure 
1\  from  Wales  early  in  April,  1840,  a  large 
body  of  Congregational  ministers  gave  me  a 
reception  at  Trefynon  (Holywell,)  where  I  was 
to  take  a  steamer  for  Liverpool.  These  kind 
brethren  presented  me  with  an  engrossed  address 
in  Welsh  and  English,  acknowledging  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  in  my  visit  and  labors,  and  com- 
mending me  to  the  guidance  and  loving  care  of 
God  in  all  my  future  life. 

From  the  chapel,  where  a  delightful  com- 
munion service  had  been  held,  a  procession 
of  ministers  and  communicants  was  formed, 
together  with  a  choir  singing  Welsh  hymns. 
We  marched  to  the  dock,  and  standing  on  the 
wheel-house,  I  bid  farewell  to  the  throng  on 
the  shore. 

After  a  few  days  in  Liverpool,  my  aged 
mother  with  eighty  young  men  and  women  and 
a  few  families,  all  from  Wales,  having  charter- 
ed the  second  cabin,  comfortably  furnished,  of 
the  ship  "  Caroline  Augusta,"  we  sailed  for 

(112) 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  113 

New  York,  had  a  pleasant  passage,  and,  as 
nearly  all  these  Welsh  people  were  religious, 
we  had  daily  religious  service,  Sunday-school 
and  preaching  every  Sabbath. 

My  aged  mother  enjoyed  her  visit,  and 
returned  safely  to  her  home  in  Radnor,  Ohio, 
lived  a  useful,  happy  life,  and  peacefully  depart- 
ed July  25,  1851,  aged  80  years  ;  and  with  my 
honored  father,  sleeps  in  Jesus,  in  the  Radnor 
cemetery,  till  the  day  of  immortal  awakening 
and  the  re-union  in  heaven. 

AT  HOME  AGAIN.  Finding  ray  loved  ones  in 
health  and  cheer,  and  resuming  my  pastoral 
work,  so  kindly  welcomed  by  the  church  and 
congregation,  harmony  and  love  prevailing,  my 
cup  was  full ;  and  never  was  labor  for  the 
Master  more  delightful  on  my  home  field,  and 
in  the  extension  and  improvement  of  Sunday- 
schools  and  preaching  beyond  the  lines  of  my 
church  work. 

A  MISSIONARY  JOURNEY.  After  harvest  in 
1840,  I  spent  six  weeks  in  North-western  and 
Central  Ohio,  preaching  almost  every  evening 
and  twice  on  Sunday,  securing  congregations  the 
best  I  could. 

During  the  day,  on  my  trusty  horse,  I  would 
explore  a  settlement,  call  on  the  settlers  in 
their  log  houses  and  clearings,  announce  preach- 
ing, or  a  Sunday-school  address  in  the  school- 


114  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

house,  and  invite  them  to  attend.  After  preach- 
ing, if  the  outlook  was  hopeful,  we  would  hold 
a  conference  on  the  subject  of  religion  or  the 
organization  of  a  -Sunday-school.  In  Allen 
and  Van  Wert  counties,  where  I  had  previously 
visited  and  established  schools,  I  found  the 
good  work  well  sustained  and  extending. 

At  Gomer,  the  Welsh  settlement  on  Pike 
Run,  a  church  had  been  gathered,  and  a  log 
chapel  built.  Here  I  preached  several  sermons, 
administered  the  ordinances  of  the  household  of 
faith,  received,  on  profession,  eight  new  mem- 
bers into  the  church,  glad  to  see  the  grace  of 
God,  "  and  exhorted  them  all,  that  with  purpose 
of  heart  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord." 
During  this  journey  I  preached  thirty  times, 
besides  making  Sunday-school  and  temperance 
addresses,  travelled  430  miles,  and  returned  to 
my  own  chosen  field  and  labor,  refreshed  and 
strengthened  in  body  and  soul. 

WORK  IN  CINCINNATI.  In  the  winter  of  1840, 
I  spent  a  week  in  the  city  at  the  request  of  the 
Welsh  immigrants,  chiefly  mechanics,  laborers, 
and  domestics,  enterprising  and  industrious. 
My  former  labors  among  them  had  not  been 
fruitless.  They  continued  their  Sunday-school 
and  prayer  meetings,  and  rented  a  loft  over,  an 
engine  house  on  Lawrence  street  for  a  chapel. 
On  the  basis  of  Christian  union,  professors  of 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  115 

different  denominations  united  together,  organ- 
ized a  church,  and  elected  deacons.  Several 
backsliders  renewed  their  religious  lives,  and 
new  converts  were  added  to  the  church.  In  a 
subsequent  visit,  I  found  that  the  little  flock 
was  growing  in  grace  and  in  numbers,  and  that 
the  engine  house  loft  would  not  seat  the  congre- 
gation. An  abandoned  house  of  worship  on  the 
same  street  was  for  sale.  It  was  a  substantial 
brick  building,  capable  of  seating  four  hundred 
and  well  located  for  their  purpose.  Through 
the  kindness  of  Hon.  Belamy  Storer,  who  had 
the  house  for  sale,  the  purchase  was  made  at 
$3500,  half  down,  and  the  balance  on  time.  At 
the  time,  this  was  a  great  undertaking,  but  the 
religious  zeal  and  liberality  of  the  congregation, 
receiving  some  aid  from  sympathizing  Ameri- 
cans, soon  discharged  the  debt.  The  same 
building,  improved  and  beautified,  is  now  the 
pleasant  home  of  the  Welsh  Congregational 
church  of  three  hundred  members,  supporting 
a  good  minister,  Rev.  David  Jones,  D.D.,  and 
contributing  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  at  home 
and  abroad. 

FAMILY  BEREAVEMENT.  In  the  summer  of 
1841,  a  dark  cloud  overshadowed  my  heart  and 
home.  My  beloved  wife,  a  true  helpmate,  and 
a  lovely  Christian,  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith, 
and  was  gathered  to  her  fathers.  A  dear  little 


116  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

daughter  survived  her  a  few  months ;  but  this 
lovely  flower  soon  withered,  the  Lord  took  her, 
and  left  my  heart  sad  and  my  home  desolate. 

In  the  midst  of  my  disappointments  and  trials 
God  was  my  "  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  pre- 
sent help  in  trouble,"  and  I  realized  solace  and 
comfort  in  my  pastoral  and  Sunday-school  mis- 
sionary labors,  and  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was 
with  me. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  MISSIONARY  WORK.  My 
labors  and  experience  in  behalf  of  Sunday-school 
extension  in  our  new  settlements,  with  their 
heterogeneous  population,  convinced  me  of  the 
great  need  of  an  agency  like  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union  to  meet  their  moral  and  spirit- 
ual necessities.  On  its  undenominational  basis, 
through  its  missionary  operations,  Bible-schools 
could  be  established  and  sustained,  and  a  sound 
religious  literature  introduced,  important  and 
reliable  factors  in  educating  the  intellect  and 
the  heart  of  the  ignorant  and  the  neglected,  to 
know,  to  love,  and  to  serve  God. 

This  missionary  service  takes  the  Sunday- 
school  where  it  is  needed,  prepares  the  way  by 
a  thorough  canvass  of  the  locality  for  its  organ- 
ization, and  awaking  public  confidence  and 
interest  in  its  behalf.  The  way  being  thus 
opened,  if  the  people  were  sufficiently  inter- 
ested, and  desired  a  school,  and  the  officers  and 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  117 

teachers  needed  for  its  management  and  instruc- 
tion could  be  found,  the  missionary  was  on  hand 
to  aid  in  its  organization. 

These  facts  show  the  wonderful  adaptation  of 
the  American  Sunday-School  Union  to  accom- 
plish successfully  its  mission  in  behalf  of  the 
youth  of  our  country,  otherwise  destitute  of  the 
opportunities  it  offers  for  the  study  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  to  acquire  the  Divine  knowledge 
necessary  to  meet  the  duties  of  life,  and  the 
rewards  of  eternity. 

THE  WORK  ILLUSTRATED.  In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  my  labors,  the  difficulties  I  encountered 
were  largely  the  indifference  of  the  people,  the 
want  of  officers  and  teachers  of  piety  and  fitness 
for  the  work,  and  sometimes,  opposition  from 
infidelity  and  sectarian  bigotry. 

In  most  of  the  settlements  and  new  villages, 
becoming  acquainted  with  the  people,  preaching 
the  blessed  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  and 
addresses  on  the  Sunday-school  subject  would 
prepare  the  way  to  crystallize  the  religious  ele- 
ment into  a  union  effort  to  establish  a  Sunday- 
school  and  to  secure  the  appliances  and  a 
library  necessary  for  its  successful  operation. 

OPPOSITION  OVERRULED.  In  exploring  a 
neighborhood  where  I  found  no  church  nor 
Sunday-school,  and  very  few  religious  people,  I 
met  a  party  of  men  in  a  clearing,  rolling  logs. 


118  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

I  was  cordially  greeted,  and,  as  I  sat  in  my 
saddle,  I  was  offered  a  drink  of  whiskey,  which 
I  pleasantly  declined.  Then,  I  told  them  who 
I  was,  and  what  was  my  business,  and  arranged 
to  have  a  meeting  in  the  school-house  that  even- 
ing. I  inquired  if  I  could  find  a  religious  man 
in  the  settlement.  "  O  yes,  Mr.  Turner,  the 
shoe -maker,  a  mile  from  here,  is  a  mighty  good 
man,  and  goes  for  religion." 

I  found  him  in  his  shop,  a  small  log  cabin  on 
the  road-side,  and  his  dwelling  back  of  it.  I 
told  him  my  object  in  visiting  the  settlement, 
and  that  I  was  a  preacher.  He  heard  me  with 
astonishment,  laid  aside  his  shoe-making  tools, 
and  invited  me  to  his  house,  saying  that  he  was 
very  glad  to  see  me,  and  to  bid  me  God-speed 
in  my  work. 

He  was  an  Englishman  from  Bristol,  where 
he  had  been  a  Sunday-school  scholar  and 
teacher.  After  supper,  in  his  humble,  but  hos- 
pitable home,  we  started  for  the  Cross  Roads 
school-house.  I  saw  Mrs.  Turner  folding  a 
fork  and  a  tallow  candle  in  a  piece  of  paper. 
I  thought  that  I  understood  all  the  mysteries 
of  log  cabin  life,  but  I  could  not  understand 
why  the  fork  and  the  candle  should  go  together, 
unless  she  was  returning  the  fork  which  she  had 
borrowed  of  a  neighbor  that  she  expected  to 
meet  at  the  school-house. 


PIONEER  WORK   IN   OHIO.  119 

With  Mrs.  Turner,  carrying  the  paper  in  one 
hand  and  a  firebrand  in  the  other,  and  her 
husband  with  a  Bible,  we  made  our  way  to  the 
Cross  Roads  and  found  a  number  of  people 
already  there.  At  the  school-house  door,  the 
good  woman  lighted  the  candle,  perforated  it 
with  the  fork,  and  stuck  it  in  a  log  near  the 
desk  where  I  was  to  stand,  a  satisfactory  solu- 
tion of  the  fork  mystery.  The  school-house 
was  well  filled,  and,  considering  the  dim  light 
and  the  promiscuous  audience  assembled,  we 
had  good  order,  and  respectful  attention.  After 
preaching  a  short  gospel  sermon,  I  spoke  of  the 
object  and  methods  of  the  Sunday-school  work, 
and  invited  remarks  by  any  of  my  hearers. 
Mr.  Turner  spoke  very  favorably,  encouraging 
his  neighbors  to  have  a  union  Sunday-school 
established. 

A  man,  quite  rough  in  his  appearance,  stood 
up  in  the  dim  light,  and  vigorously  opposed  my 
proposition  to  start  a  Sunday-school.  He  earn- 
estly warned  the  people  to  beware  of  the 
"  black  coat  who  was  about  to  humbug  them." 
He  said  that  his  father  lived  in  New  Jersey 
when  the  American  Sunday-School  Union 
started ;  it  was  supported  by  British  gold  to 
unite  Church  and  State,  and  that  it  was  man- 
aged by  priest-craft,  adding,  "If  you  have 
anything  to  do  with  this  Sundajr-school  business, 


120  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

you  will  rue  the  clay.  Keep  out  of  it,  and  no 
harm  will  come." 

Another  plain  looking  man  said  :  "  I  heard 
this  stranger  in  the  clearing  this  forenoon,  and 
this  evening,  and  I  am  in  favor  of  having  a 
Sunday-school.  I  have  nine  children  to  send, 
and  although  I  do  not  know  much  about  the 
matter,  one  thing  I  do  know — if  it  was  not  a 
good  thing,  the  Esquire  would  not  be  so  dead 
set  against  it." 

The  vote  to  have  a  school  organized  was 
almost  unanimous.  Mr.  Turner  was  chosen 
superintendent,  and  a  small  sum  was  raised  for 
books,  which,  supplemented  by  a  donation  from 
the  Union,  provided  the  appliances,  and  a 
library  of  one  hundred  volumes  worth  ten  dol- 
lars, needed  by  the  school.  On  Sunday  morn- 
ing a  much  larger  congregation  assembled,  and, 
in  the  open  air,  I  preached  on  what  the  Bible 
teaches  concerning  man  as  a  sinner,  and  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  Saviour.  I  was  much  encouraged 
by  the  attention  of  my  hearers  standing  around 
me  or  seated  on  the  grass. 

After  the  sermon,  I  invited  all,  young  and 
old,  that  desired  to  enter  the  Sunday-school 
organization,  to  go  to  the  school-house.  About 
forty,  chiefly  young  people,  enlisted  in  the 
Sunday-school  army  under  the  generalship  of 
the  Bristol  Sunday-school  boy.  After  prayer 


PIONEER  WORK  IN   OHIO.  121 

and  a  hymn  of  praise,  all  who  could  read  were 
supplied  with  Testaments  if  they  had  none. 
The  others  were  supplied  with  the  Union 
Primer,  the  Union  Spelling-book  (containing 
choice  religious  reading).  Then,  classes  were 
formed  as  best  we  could,  and  teachers  placed 
over  them.  The  want  of  godly,  intelligent,  and 
competent  teachers,  we  generally  realized  as  a 
great  obstacle  in  our  work.  After  thus  arrang- 
ing the  scholars,  I  taught  the  Testament  class, 
explaining  the  text,  and  asking  questions, 
delighted  with  the  attention  and  interest  of  the 
class,  and  the  way  several  of  them  answered 
questions.  The  school  prospered,  and,  in  a 
few  months,  an  itinerant  preacher  was  attracted 
to  the  settlement.  God  blessed  his  labor ;  a 
religious  society  was  formed,  and  continues  to 
this  day. 

A  GENEROUS  OLD  LADY.  In  the  pursuit 
of  my  mission,  my  explorations  resulted  in 
holding  a  public  meeting  fairly  attended  ;  and, 
rinding  several  men  and  women  of  piety  and 
experience  in  Sunday-school  work  in  the  old 
settlements  willing  to  unite  their  efforts,  the  or- 
ganization of  the  school  was  well  and  easily  ac- 
complished. 

An  aged  woman  was  greatly  interested,  but 
evidently  did  not  understand  the  Sunday-school 


122  THE   STORY  OF   MY   LIFE. 

work.  With  a  genial  face  and  winning  words 
she  said  : 

"  I  want  to  help  the  preacher  and  the  Sun- 
day-school all  I  can.  A  cabin  is  empty  on  our 
place,  and  I  have  a  cow  I  can  spare,  so  the 
preacher  may  get  along  and  live  among  us." 

I  thanked  her  for  her  kind  and  liberal  offer, 
but  said  that  I  did  not  expect  to  live  in  the 
settlement. 

"  Well,  then,  who  is  to  keep  things  a-going  if 
you  go  away  ?  " 

I  told  her  that  the  superintendent  and  teach- 
ers would  do  the  work,  and  do  it  well. 

"  I  hope  so,"  was  her  reply,  "  but,  I  never 
know'd  that  any  of  them  could  keep  school 
or  hold  meetings." 

The  generous  old  friend,  in  due  time,  found 
that  home  talent,  with  the  blessing  of  God, 
could  keep  a  Sunday-school  and  make  it  a  great 
blessing  in  the  community. 

In  my  missionary  journeyings  I  came  to  a  set- 
tlement where  the  growing  prosperity  of  the 
inhabitants  was  indicated  in  hewed  log  dwell- 
ings, barns,  and  broader  fields ;  but  I  saw  no 
house  of  worship,  and  the  school-house  was  a 
shabby  log  building,  and  out  of  repair.  In- 
quiring at  a  house  about  the  religious  affairs  in 
the  neighborhood,  the  replies  were  discouraging. 
As  it  was  the  noon  hour,  the  farmer  invited  me 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  123 

to  have  my  horse  fed,  and  to  eat  dinner.  I 
found  him  very  sociable,  but  not  interested  in 
my  mission.  I  inquired  if  he  had  religious 
neighbors. 

"  Well,  stranger,  they  are  scarce  ;  but  two 
miles  from  here,  there  is  a  Methodist,  a  good 
man,  that  can  sing  hymns  and  pray  at 
funerals." 

By  this 'time  his  wife  had  found  a  paper  she 
wished  me  to  read.  It  was  a  certificate  of  her 
church  membership  in  Pennsylvania,  ten  years 
before.  She  mourned  over  her  loss  of  religious 
privileges  and  Christian  fellowship,  but  said  : 
*'  I  am  holding  on  to  the  Sabbath  day,  my  Bible, 
and  secret  prayer." 

She  invited  me  to  officiate  at  the  family  altar, 
all  the  family  being  present ;  it  was  a  great  pleas- 
ure to  comply.  It  was  now  time  for  me  to  make 
my  way  to  the  house  of  the  "  good  Methodist 
who  could  sing  hymns  and  pray."  The  hus- 
band instructed  me  how  to  find  his  home.  The 
good  wife  said:  "John,  you  go  with  him. 
You  can  cut  through  the  woods  and  save  a 
mile." 

"  Oh  !  I  am  too  busy  plowing." 

"  The  boys  can  do  the  work.  I  think  you 
ought  to  go." 

Like  a  good  husband,  he  obeyed  his  wife,  and 
became  my  guide.  We  reached  our  destination 


124  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

and  found  our  "  good  Methodist "  at  work  in 
the  field.  After  a  short  conversation,  during 
which  I  told  him  for  what  object  I  was  travel- 
ling. He  inquired : 

"  Are  you  a  Methodist  preacher  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  a  Presbyterian,  but  my  labors  are 
undenominational.  I  aim  to  unite  all  religious 
people  together,  and  establish  union  Sunday- 
schools,  and  preach  the  gospel  pure  and 
simple." 

"  Well,  I  am  a  Methodist,  and  though  we 
have  no  class  here,  I  love  my  church,  and  want 
to  be  true  to  it.  If  you  get  up  a  Methodist 
Sunday-school,  I  will  go  in  for  it." 

"  If  the  people  in  this  settlement  so  desire,  I 
will  do  all  I  can  to  help  establish  such  a  school. 
We  force  no  ecclesiastical  type  on  our  mission- 
ary work,  and  the  people  can  do  as  they 
please." 

At  this  point  my  guide  spoke  out :  "I  think 
it  would  be  better  for  us  all  to  unite  and  have 
a  union  school  at  first." 

Our  Methodist  friend  said :  "  I  am  glad  to 
find  that  you  are  in  favor  of  such  a  good  thing 
as  a  Sunday-school,  and  I  will  not  insist  on  my 
way,  but  fall  in  with  this  preacher,  and  help  all 
I  can." 

A  public  meeting  was  held,  well  attended, 
and  after  my  address,  a  unanimous  vote  settled 


Preaching  on  the  Frontier. 


Sabbath-school  in  the  Woods. 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  127 

the  question  of  organizing  a  union  school,  and 
our  Methodist  brother  was  chosen  superintend- 
ent ;  the  only  man  in  the  district  that  prayed  in 
public.  He  invited  me  to  his  house,  as  he 
wanted  me  to  instruct  him  in  the  management 
of  the  school,  and  how  to  teach  the  Bible. 

On  Sunday  morning,  a  large  crowd  assembled 
at  the  school-house  to  hear  preaching,  and  to  see 
the  Sunday-school  established.  My  audience, 
respectful  and  attentive,  more  than  filled  the 
house,  so  I  stood  on  the  threshold  and  con- 
ducted the  service  ;  more  than  half  my  hearers 
standing  outside.  I  stood  on  a  log,  and  took 
the  names  of  all  who  desired  to  enlist  as  schol- 
ars, and  forty-five  were  enrolled.  We  then 
went  into  the  school-house,  arranged  the  classes, 
and  set  the  school  at  work.  A  class  of  boys 
using  the  Union  Spelling-book  had  no  teacher. 
I  asked  the  superintendent  to  appoint  one.  He 
went  out  where  most  of  the  people  remained. 
He  came  in,  and  said  :  "  There  is  a  young  man 
seated  on  the  fence,  in  his  shirt  sleeves,  a  red 
handkerchief  around  his  neck.  He  don't  swear, 
or  drink  liquor.  Try  him." 

I  went  out,  put  my  hand  on  his  knee,  and 
asked  him  to  help  us,  by  teaching  that  class  of 
boys. 

"  O  sir,  I  don't  belong  to  meeting,  and  I  am 
no  school-master." 


128  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  Do  you  believe  in  the  Bible,  and  in  Christi- 
anity ?  "" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  do,  and  my  old  mother  is  a 
good  Christian." 

"  Well,  my  friend,  I  know  of  no  reason  why 
you  should  not  be  like  your  mother,  a  good 
Christian  in  heart  and  life.  Come  in  and  help 
us." 

With  a  very  serious  look  he  said :  "  I  'ent 
much  that  way,  but  I  won't  hang  back.  I'll  do 
the  best  I  can." 

This  man,  a  nominal  believer  in  the  Bible  and 
in  Christianity,  the  son  of  a  godly  mother,  was 
the  best  material  for  a  Sunday-school  teacher 
available.  I  was  glad  to  accept  his  service,  and 
to  hope  that  as  a  means  of  grace,  it  might  result 
in  his  conversion  and  Christian  character. 

The  great  draw-back  on  our  missionary  work 
in  those  early  times  was  the  want  of  qualified 
officers  and  teachers,  men  and  women  of  faith, 
of  Bible  knowledge,  apt  to  teach,  and  blessed 
with  continuance  in  well  doing. 

Yet,  with  one  man  or  woman  possessing  the 
requisite  qualifications,  energy  and  persever- 
ance, a  school  could  be  established  and  sustained 
in  almost  any  community. 

The  distribution  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  plac- 
ing them  where  they  will  be  appreciated  and 
read,  is  another  important  part  of  our  mission- 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  129 

ary  work,  useful  and  blessed  of  God.  Enlisting 
teachers  in  this  educational  and  religious  service 
has  been  a  blessing  to  multitudes,  both  in  receiv- 
ing and  imparting  spiritual  good,  and  develop- 
ing their  religious  life  and  talent. 

When  I  found  a  young  man  with  the  gift  of 
teaching,  holding,  and  instructing  his  class,  I 
would  become  acquainted  with  him,  his  habits, 
avocation,  character,  his  religious  experience, 
and  convictions  of  duty.  Satisfied  on  these 
matters,  I  would  present  for  his  prayerful  con- 
sideration the  claims  of  the  gospel  ministry,  if 
called  of  God  to  the  sacred  and  important  call- 
ing. In  this  way  candidates  for  the  ministry 
have  been  found,  and  encouraged  to  seek  the 
sacred  office.  Responding  to  what  they  under- 
stood as  the  call  of  God,  and  Providence  open- 
ing the  way,  they  entered  a  course  of  education, 
and  devoted  their  lives  to  the  service  of  God 
and  his  church. 

A  NEW  WORK.  In  1842  and  1843,  during 
the  winter  season,  for  several  reasons  my  mis- 
sionary labors  were  prosecuted  with  serious  dis- 
advantage, and  were  partially  given  up.  To  be 
useful,  and  to  relieve  myself  of  a  financial  bur- 
den incurred  in  building  a  house,  I  spent  three 
months  during  each  of  these  winters  in  teaching 
a  private  school.  A  number  of  young  people 
in  my  congregation,  and  in  surrounding  neigh- 


130  THE  STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

borhoods,  having  graduated  in  their  log  cabin 
schools,  were  anxious  to  prosecute  advanced 
studies. 

With  the  consent  of  my  church,  and  granted 
the  use  of  our  chapel,  I  opened  my  school,  and 
was  well  patronized.  I  had  classes  in  Latin, 
mathematics,  philosophy  and  literature.  I  found 
reviewing  my  studies  of  earlier  years  a  pleasure, 
and  of  advantage.  Some  of  my  scholars  entered, 
and  succeeded  in  professional  life — one  was 
heard,  as  patriot  and  statesman,  in  legislative 
halls — one  became,  and  is  now,  a  distinguished 
journalist  of  national  reputation — others  be- 
came successful  teachers  and  enterprising  farm- 
ers :  men  and  women  with  a  record  honorable 
to  themselves,  and  their  old  instructor. 

OPPOSITION  AND  ROWDYISM.  In  my  preach- 
ing and  Sunday-school  missionary  labors,  I 
scarcely  ever  encountered  opposition,  or  unpleas- 
ant treatment ;  but,  in  advocating  the  cause  of 
temperance,  on  two  occasions  the  sons  of  Belial 
assailed  me  with  weapons  of  their  own  selec- 
tion, but  I  escaped  unharmed. 

While  I  was  delivering  a  temperance  address 
in  the  Washington  Methodist  Episcopal  chapel, 
six  miles  from  my  own,  on  a  pleasant  Sabbath 
night,  before  a  large  and  sympathizing  audience, 
in  the  midst  of  my  discourse,  the  windows  being 
open,  I  became  the  target  for  a  volley  of  eggs. 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  131 

I  escaped  the  missiles,  but,  as  the  eggs  dashed 
against  the  opposite  wall,  the  "  sun  bonnets  " 
of  some  of  my  lady  hearers  were  sadly  soiled. 
There  followed  a  great  commotion  in  my  con- 
gregation ;  women  screamed,  and  the  men  rushed 
out  to  capture  the  cowardly  assailants,  but  the 
evil-doers  escaped.  Order  was  soon  restored, 
and  we  continued  the  meeting.  We  united 
heartily  in  singing  the  old  and  familiar  hymn, 

"  Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  cross, 
A  follower  of  the  Lamb  ? 
And,  shall  I  fear  to  own  his  cause, 

Or  blush  to  speak  his  name  ? 
"  Sure  I  must  fight,  if  I  would  reign, 

Increase  my  courage  Lord, 
I'll  bear  the  toil,  endure  the  pain, 
Supported  by  thy  word." 

After  this  song,  rendered  with  what  we  some- 
times called  "  arousement,"  I  continued  my  ad- 
dress with  a  new-born  freedom  and  enthusiasm. 
A  goodly  number  signed  the  pledge,  and  the 
friends  of  law  and  order  in  that  locality  were 
multiplied  and  strengthened. 

Some  time  afterwards,  a  citizen  from  that 
neighborhood  called  on  me  at  my  home,  and 
said: 

"  I  understand  that  I  am  suspected  of  being 
in  the  gang  that  threw  eggs  at  you  while  mak- 
ing a  temperance  speech  in  the  Washington 
meeting-house.  I  want  to  assure  you,  Mr. 


132  THE   STORY  OF   MY   LIFE. 

Chidlaw,  I  had  no  hand  in  it,  and  I  want  you  to 
relieve  me  of  being  suspected.  I  don't  believe 
in  your  style  of  temperance,  but  I  respect  you, 
and  would  never  engage  in  such  mean  business 
as  egging  a  preacher,  or  disturbing  a  congrega- 
tion." 

I  accepted  his  statement,  and  hoped  he  would 
become  a  temperance  man  and  a  follower  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

On  another  occasion,  while  addressing  a  good 
audience  in  a  log  school-house,  in  a  community 
where  intemperance  and  drinking  habits  pre- 
vailed, and  where,  for  the  want  of  religious 
helpers  I  had  failed  to  organize  a  Sunday- 
school,  I  suffered  another  attack. 

The  school-house  was  lighted  with  three  tal- 
low candles.  All  was  orderly  for  some  time, 
but  when  my  address  was  half  finished,  the 
candles  were  extinguished,  leaving  us  in  total 
darkness.  Some  of  the  "lewd  fellows  of  the 
baser  sort "  scattered  through  the  congregation, 
simultaneously  did  this  deed  of  darkness  so 
as  to  break  up  our  meeting.  Some  confusion 
ensued.  I  entreated  my  hearers  to  remain 
quiet.  I  could  continue  my  address  in  the 
dark,  and  they  could  hear. 

A  friend  went  to  a  farm-house  near  by,  and 
obtained  a  firebrand,  (no  matches  in  those 
days)  and  relighted  the  candles.  This  opposi- 


PIONEER    WORK   IN    OHIO.  133 

tion,  harmless  as  it  was,  helped  to  turn  public 
sentiment  in  favor  of  temperance  and  its  advo- 
cate. Our  meeting  progressed  without  further 
opposition,  an  organization  was  formed,  and 
thirty-five  members  secured,  and  a  marked  im- 
provement in  the  habits  of  the  people  was  the 
result. 

BACKWOODS  HOSPITALITY.  In  my  early  tours 
as  a  missionary  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  in  the  new  settlements  of  Ohio  and  In- 
diana, the  latch-string  of  the  pioneer  home  was 
every  where  and  always  out.  I  always  approached 
it  with  confidence,  and  seldom  failed  to  receive 
a  cordial  welcome,  and  was  greeted  kindly  when 
my  mission  was  made  known." 

"  Yes  sir,  glad  to  see  a  preacher,  and  have  him 
stay  with  us.  We  will  do  the  best  we  can  for 
you  and  your  horse,"  would  be  the  response. 

On  an  autumnal  afternoon,  making  my  way 
through  the  woods  following  a  "  blazed  track  " 
(trees  marked  in  a  straight  line)  from  one  settle- 
ment to  another,  I  came  to  a  clearing  with  a 
log  house  and  barn  that  looked  hopeful  as  a 
stopping-place  for  the  night.  Approaching  the 
house,  I  saw  a  man  engaged  in  skinning  a  wild 
deer  that  he  had  shot.  After  the  usual  saluta- 
tion to  which  he  pleasantly  responded,  as  it  was 
near  sunset,  I  inquired  if  I  could  be  enter- 
tained for  the  night.  He  asked  if  I  was  hunt- 


134  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

ing  land.  "  No  sir,"  I  replied.  "  I  am  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  a  Sunday-school 
missionary  looking  for  work."  He  left  the 
carcass  and  went  to  the  house,  and  soon  his 
wife  came  to  the  door,  greeted  me  with  a  pleas- 
ant smile,  and  said : 

"  We  are  not  well  fixed  to  keep  you,  but  you 
are  welcome  to  the  best  we  have." 

The  husband  requested  me  to  dismount,  say- 
ing: 

"  If  you  wait  till  I  finish  this  job,  I  will  see 
to  your  horse,"  adding,  "or,  if  you  like,  you  can 
put  away  the  horse.  You  will  find  water  at  the 
trough  by  the  well;  and  hay  and  oats  in  the 
barn." 

Accustomed  to  take  care  of  my  horse,  I 
promptly  attended  to  the  business,  and  my 
faithful  animal  found  a  good  place  and  plenty 
of  feed.  Then  I  went  to  the  house,  a  round 
log  building,  18x20  feet,  one  story,  with  a 
small  window  and  a  clapboard  door  hung  on 
wooden  hinges.  The  furniture  was  quite 
primitive,  but  everything  neat  and  clean,  and 
I  found  a  comfortable  seat  on  a  splint  bottom 
chair. 

The  good  wife  came  in  with  an  apron  full  of 
corn  she  had  just  gathered  in  the  field.  Taking 
down  from  a  peg  in  one  of  the  logs  a  large 
grater,  home-made  out  of  a  superannuated  tin 


PIONEER   WORK   IN   OHIO.  135 

coffee-pot  perforated  with  holes,  she  provided 
meal,  and  made  excellent  corn  bread,  familiarly 
known  as  "  Johnny  cakes,"  which,  with  fried 
venison,  and  spice-wood  tea  (an  aromatic  shrub 
that  grew  wild  in  the  woods),  made  us  a  delicious 
supper. 

We  spent  the  evening  in  pleasant  and  profit- 
able conversation,  had  family  worship,  and  pre- 
pared for  retirement.  A  bed  was  extemporized 
for  the  preacher  on  the  puncheon  (hewed  slabs) 
floor  of  the  cabin,  which  with  his  saddle  blanket, 
and  his  saddle  bags  for  his  pillow,  made  a  com- 
fortable resting-place  for  the  night,  which  was 
spent  in  refreshing  sleep  till  day  dawned  next 
morning. 

Our  breakfast  was  a  repetition  of  the  good 
supper  the  previous  evening,  with  the  change  of 
rye  coffee  for  spice-wood  tea. 

The  kind-hearted  husband  was  not  a  professor 
of  religion,  but  a  firm  believer  in  Christianity, 
and  the  Bible  on  which  it  is  founded.  His  wife 
had  a  certificate  of  church  membership  given 
her  when  she  left  the  old  settlement,  and  earn- 
estly longed  for  gospel  privileges  and  fellow- 
ship with  the  people  of  God. 

After  family  worship  and  religious  conversa- 
tion, I  was  ready  to  continue  my  journey.  My 
horse  in  good  trim  was  brought  to  me  at  the 
door.  I  tendered  payment  for  my  accommoda- 


136  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

tioii  and  cheer,  but  my  generous  host  said :  "  No 
sir,  your  company  and  talk  have  paid  up  in  full. 
Come  again  soon.  We  will  be  glad  to  see  you, 
and  hope  to  do  better  for  you." 

Amid  the  toil  and  some  privations  incident 
to  these  early  missionary  services,  the  compensa- 
tion experienced  in  the  pleasure  and  the  suc- 
cess of  the  work,  the  kindness  of  the  people, 
their  ready  mind  to  hear  the  word,  and  co-oper- 
ate in  our  efforts  to  accomplish  our  mission, 
were  very  satisfactory  and  comforting. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  CHANGE.  In  the  controver- 
sies preceding  the  division  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  in  1837,  I  avoided  taking  any  active  part, 
devoting  my  time  and  energies  to  my  pastor- 
ate, and  Sunday-school  work.  My  relations 
to  my  brethren  of  the  Presbytery  and  the 
churches,  had  always  been  pleasant,  and  for  my 
advantage;  but  in  the  spring  of  1838,  follow- 
ing my  convictions  and  sense  of  duty,  I  applied 
to  my  Presbytery  for  a  regular  dismission  to  the 
New  School  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati.  Instead 
of  the  usual  letter,  the  following  was  granted, 
showing  the  spirit  and  feeling  prevalent  at  the 
time  : 

"Rev.  B.  W.  Chidlaw  presented  an  application  for  a  cer- 
tificate of  his  moral  and  Christian  character,  stating  that  it 
wns  his  intention  to  connect  himself  with  the  New  School 
Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  and  giving  as  his  reason  his  con- 
scientious opposition  to  the  exscinding  and  pacification  acts 


PIONEER    WORK   IN    OHIO.  137 

of  the  General  Assemblies  of  1837-8,  and  his  unwilling- 
ness to  continue  any  longer  with  the  church  courts  that  re- 
cognize the  constitutionality  of  said  acts. 

"  Wherefore,  it  was  resolved,  that  his  request  be  granted  ; 
and,  that  Presbytery  hereby  express,  in  addition,  their  un- 
shaken confidence  in,  and  their  sincere  and  unbroken  af- 
fection for  said  brother,  with  whom  they  have  had  such 
pleasant  ministerial  and  social  intercourse  in  our  past  con- 
nection ;  and,  now,  as  he  is  about  to  separate  from  us,  we 
hope  that  our  former  friendly  relations  will  still  remain  un- 
broken: and  we  pray  that  the  blessing  of  the  great  Head 
of  the  church  will  go  with  him  and  make  him  a  useful  and 
efficient  instrument  in  the  hand  of  his  great  Master  of 
building  up  his  cause,  and  bringing  sinners  into  the  king- 
dom in  whatever  connection,  and  wherever  he  may  be  called 
in  the  Providence  of  God. 

"  By  order  of  Presbytery, 

"  THOMAS  E.  HUHGES,  S.  C. " 

During  the  third  of  a  century  that  the  church 
continued  divided,  I  ceased  not  to  associate 
with,  and  to  enjoy  the  confidence  and  brotherly 
kindness  of  my  brethren  of  the  Oxford  Presby- 
tery. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ANECDOTES  OF  PIONEER  WORK. 

MY  letter  of  dismission  was  honored  when 
presented  to  the  New  School  Presbytery 
of  Cincinnati  in  session  in  the  city,  Rev.  Ly- 
nian  Beecher,  D.D.,  being  moderator.  At  my 
request,  the  next  meeting  of  Presbytery  in  the 
autumn  was  to  be  held  in  my  church  at  Paddy's 
Run,  twenty  miles  in  the  country.  I  invited 
Dr.  Beecher  to  come  out  the  day  previous  and 
to  preach  in  the  evening.  To  this  he  cheerfully 
responded.  As  he  had  never  visited  the  con- 
gregation or  preached  in  the  neighborhood,  his 
coming  would  be  a  great  event  in  the  com- 
munity. 

On  a  delightful  afternoon  in  September  the 
doctor  arrived,  wearied  with  the  ride,  and  ready 
for  a  rest.  In  caring  for  his  horse  and  buggy 
I  found  a  tin  bucket  under  the  seat  containing 
a  piece  of  mutton  and  some  vegetables,  covered 
with  a  towel.  This  discovery  was  a  mystery, 
and  a  serious  perplexity  to  my  wife.  The  time 
for  supper  was  approaching,  and  her  prepara- 
tions were  made ;  but  the  contents  of  the  tin 

(138) 


ANECDOTES  OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  139 

bucket,  and  anxiety  regarding  the  wishes  of  her 
venerable  guest  concerning  his  food,  made  her 
quite  nervous.  She  proposed  that  I  should  call 
him  at  once,  and  ascertain  what  he  would  like 
for  supper.  While  we  were  deliberating,  the 
doctor  came  from  his  room,  refreshed,  and  in  a 
very  happy  mood.  With  fear  and  trembling  my 
wife  called  us  to  supper.  The  doctor  assured 
us  that  the  ride  and  the  country  air  had  given 
him  a  good  appetite,  and  that  he  would  enjoy 
his  meal  in  our  country  home.  He  spoke  of  the 
good  bread  and  butter,  the  fried  chicken  was 
exactly  to  his  taste,  and  the  coffee  with  such  rich 
cream  was  superior. 

His  approving  words  relieved  her  anxiety 
about  the  supper,  but  left  the  contents  of  the 
tin  bucket  still  shrouded  in  mystery.  While 
enjoying  his  pleasant  and  inspiring  conversa- 
tion after  supper,  I  asked  the  doctor  what  was 
his  pleasure  concerning  the  tin  bucket  and  its 
contents.  Arising  to  his  feet,  and  clasping  his 
hands,  he  said : 

"  Why,  brother  Chidlaw,  that  was  for  Mrs. 
Beecher's  dinner,  and  I  forgot  to  leave  it  at  the 
corner  of  Sycamore  and  Seventh  streets  to  be 
sent  to  Walnut  Hills !  " 

In  the  evening  a  large  congregation  crowded 
the  meeting-house,  and  many  were  standing 
outside  anxious  to  hear  the  celebrated  preacher. 


140  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

The  doctor  was  pleased  to  see  such  an  assembly 
in  and  around  a  country  chapel,  but  said :  "  I 
do  not  feel  like  preaching.  Get  another  brother 
to  take  my  place."  I  said  this  would  not  do, 
as  the  people  expected  to  hear  him,  and  if  he 
did  not  preach  they  would  be  disappointed. 

In  those  days,  tallow  candles  in  tin  candle- 
sticks on  the  walls  and  on  the  pulpit,  afforded 
what  was,  indeed,  "  a  dim  religious  light "  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord.  Rev.  A.  Benton,  of 
College  Hill,  conducted  the  opening  services  in 
his  impressive  and  inspiring  manner.  I  was  in 
the  pulpit  with  Dr.  Beecher,  and  doing  all  I 
could  in  trimming  and  snuffing  the  candles  on 
the  pulpit.  The  light  was  so  dim  that  the  emi- 
nent preacher  found  it  difficult  to  use  his  manu- 
script, and  on  that  account  he  lost  much  of  his 
usual  freedom  and  power,  and  was  evidently 
not  himself. 

On  leaving  the  chapel,  old  Deacon  David 
Jones  came  to  me  and  said  : 

"  You  made  a  great  mistake  to-night  in  having 
that  aged  minister  to  preach.  As  Dr.  Beecher 
failed  to  come  you  should  have  asked  Mr.  Ben- 
ton  to  preach." 

I  told  the  good  deacon  that  it  was  Dr.  Beecher 
that  preached,  but  if  he  would  wait  till  to-mor- 
row, in  daylight,  when  the  doctor  preached  the 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  141 

opening  sermon  of  the  Presbytery,  the  preacher 
would  be  all  right,  and  he  would  say  so. 

The  sermon  he  delivered  at  the  opening  of 
Presbytery  was  on  the  text.  "  But  if  our  gospel 
be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost,"  2  Cor. 
4:  3.  It  was  a  wonderful  discourse,  and 
delivered  with  an  unction  from  above  that  pro- 
duced a  marked  and  deep  impression  on  his 
hearers.  The  good  old  deacon  was  carried 
away  with  the  sermon  and  its  delivery,  and  till 
his  death  frequently  referred  to  it  as  a  grand 
vindication  of  the  love  of  God  in  the  gospel, 
and  his  justice  in  the  terrible  consequence  of 
neglecting  it. 

The  meeting  of  Presbytery,  the  sermons 
preached,  and  the  social  intercourse  of  the 
ministers  and  elders  with  the  people,  greatly 
helped  the  young  pastor,  and  was  a  benediction 
to  the  church  and  the  community.  Then,  our 
ecclesiastical  meetings  were  largely  devotional, 
and  for  preaching — times  of  refreshing  from 
the  presence  of  God,  and  the  awakening  and 
conversion  of  sinners. 

RE-ESTABLISHING  MY  HOME.  On  the  26th 
of  June,  1842,  I  was  united  in  marriage  by  Rev. 
Horace  Bushnell,  a  venerable  and  highly  esteem- 
ed pioneer  preacher  in  the  Miami  valley,  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Hughes,  youngest  daughter  of  Ezekiel 
and  Mary  Hughes,  a  substantial  and  religious 


142  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

family,  and  among  the  first  settlers  of  White- 
water township,  Hamilton  county,  Ohio.  Mr. 
Hughes  emigrated  from  North  Wales  in  1795, 
spent  a  year  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  1796,  with 
his  cousin  Edward  Bebb,  landed  from  a  flat-boat 
at  Fort  Washington  (now  Cincinnati)  in  the 
North-western  Territory.  In  1801,  he  bought 
two  sections  of  land,  the  first  land  sold  by  the 
Government  west  of  the  Miami  river.  Then, 
the  public  domain  was  sold  in  sections  (640 
acres  each)  at  $1.25  per  acre,  and  as  no  less 
quantity  could  be  bought,  poor  people  suffered. 
General  W.  H.  Harrison  was  then  in  Congress 
from  the  Territory,  and  by  his  efforts,  a  law  was 
enacted  to  subdivide  the  sections  into  halves, 
quarters,  and  eighths,  so  that  men  of  small 
means  could  secure  land  and  homes.  This 
public  service  rendered  by  General  Harrison 
was  a  special  advantage  to  the  adventurous  and 
hardy  pioneers  of  those  western  wilds. 

The  house  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hughes  was  the 
home  of  ministers,  and  a  preaching  place  in  early 
times  before  meeting-houses  were  built  and 
churches  organized.  They,  in  their  lives  and 
character,  aided  largely  in  laying  the  founda- 
tions of  education,  morality,  and  religion  in 
the  community  where  they  lived,  and  in  a  good 
old  age,  and  full  of  years,  were  gathered  to 
their  fathers,  leaving  a  good  name  an  inher- 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  143 

itance  to  their  children  and  the  generation 
following. . 

My  home  restored,  a  kind  and  faithful  com- 
panion sharing  my  trials  and  labors,  in  efficient 
sympathy  with  me  and  my  work,  my  pastoral 
and  missionary  labors  were  never  so  pleasant 
and  apparently  fruitful. 

A  CHANGE  OF  FIELD.  In  1844,  after  eight 
years  of  ministerial  service  at  Paddy's  Run,  the 
church  was  growing  in  numbers  and  activity, 
my  salary  was  increased,  and  the  outlook  was 
encouraging,  but  I  was  invited  to  another  and 
peculiar  field.  After  conference  with  my 
people,  and  prayer  to  God,  I  was  led  to  tender 
my  resignation  ;  which,  with  expressions  of  con- 
fidence, esteem,  and  love,  my  church  accepted. 

In  1844  the  Presbyterian  churches  of  Cleves, 
Elizabethtown  and  Berea,  two  congregations  a 
few  miles  apart,  the  former  New  School,  the  lat- 
ter Old  School,  weary  of  division,  were  ready  to 
unite  and  to  invite  me  to  supply  their  pulpits. 
This  field  was  attractive,  my  wife's  family 
resided  within  its  bounds,  the  prospect  of 
re-uniting  the  congregations,  with  enlarged 
opportunities,  and  the  understanding  that  I 
should  continue  my  Sunday-school  work,  led  me 
to  accept  the  call. 

Selling  my  house,  and  aided  by  my  father-in- 
law,  I  was  provided  with  a  comfortable  home 


144  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

midway  between  the  churches.  Two  brothers, 
Thomas  and  Jacob  Hunt,  wealthy  farmers,  built 
a  meeting-house  in  Elizabethtown.  Berea 
Chapel,  near  my  dwelling,  built  in  1822,  was 
repaired  and  beautified,  and  the  church  edifice 
in  Cleves  was  improved,  showing  that  the 
people  had  a  heart  to  work  and  to  encourage 
their  minister.  Love  and  harmony  prevailed, 
our  congregations  improved,  the  Sunday-schools 
increased  in  number  and  interest,  and  additions 
were  made  to  the  church.  In  every  way  the 
good  cause  prospered,  and  the  churches  were 
strengthened,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  year,  it 
was  thought  advisable  that  each  congregation 
should  have  a  pastor. 

The  American  Sunday-School  Union  desired 
my  entire  time,  and  appointed  me  superintend- 
ing missionary  for  Ohio  and  Indiana,  a  position 
I  felt  it  my  duty  to  accept.  Thus,  with  the  best 
feelings  of  all  concerned,  my  labors  in  these 
congregations  terminated ;  but  I  continued  to 
reside  within  their  bounds,  so  that  when  I  would 
itinerate  over  my  wide  field,  my  family  had  a 
safe  and  comfortable  home  among  their  kindred 
and  friends. 

NEW  DUTIES  AND  RESPONSIBILITIES.  As 
superintending  missionary,  I  was  placed  in  a 
broader  and  more  important  field,  involving 
grave  responsibilities.  This  was  to  find  mission- 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  145 

aries,  locate  them  on  their  fields,  and  introduce 
them  to  their  work,  show  them  what  it  was,  and 
how  to  do  it. 

The  missionaries  employed  were  ministers  or 
laymen  of  different  denominations,  of  good 
repute,  experienced  in  Sunday-school  work, 
intelligent,  industrious,  and  devoted  to  their 
mission.  Their  work  embraced  the  exploration 
of  neglected  and  destitute  places,  settlements 
and  villages,  where  no  Sunday-school  existed. 
By  visiting  families,  and  holding  public  meet- 
ings, they  were  to  awaken  an  interest  and  to  crys- 
tallize that  interest  into  a  union  Sunday-school, 
and  to  enlist  in  its  support  officers  and  teachers, 
and  to  supply  it  with  the  necessary  appliances 
and  a  library.  Having  as  far  as  possible  per- 
fected the  organization,  their  aid  was  useful  in 
instructing  the  officers  and  teachers  in  the  art 
of  teaching,  and  in  the  methods  of  managing 
the  school  and  in  the  use  of  the  library. 

In  addition  to  this  preliminary  labor,  the  faith- 
ful missionary  will,  as  soon  and  as  frequently  as 
possible,  visit  the  schools,  encouraging  teachers 
and  scholars,  and  by  holding  public  meetings 
arouse  a  growing  interest  in  the  work,  and  may 
succeed  in  opening  the  way  to  establish  a  school 
in  some  adjoining  destitute  locality.  For  Sunday- 
school  extension  and  real  usefulness,  as  well  as 

permanency  of  work  in  our  average  population, 
10 


146  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

such  an  agency  is  indispensable.  The  Sunday- 
school  is  taken  where  it  is  needed,  the  work  of 
establishing  it  is  performed,  the  interest  neces- 
sary to  sustain  it  is  aroused  and  set  at  work. 
These  things,  and  others  that  could  be  men- 
tioned, show  the  necessity  and  adaptation  of  the 
mission  of  the  American  Sunday -School  Union 
to  advance  the  religious  education  of  our  youth 
who  are  neglected,  or  superficially  taught  in  the 
word  of  God  and  the  way  of  salvation. 

FINDING  MISSIONARIES.  In  travelling  over 
the  country  I  would  hear  of  brethren  qualified 
and  ready  to  enter  the  service,  and  engage 
them.  Sometimes,  by  correspondence,  this 
would  be  accomplished,  but  not  as  satisfactorily 
as  by  personal  acquaintance. 

In  the  spring  of  1849, 1  found  a  daily  school- 
teacher, a  student  from  Oberlin  College,  em- 
ployed in  a  district  in  Colerain  township,  Ham- 
ilton county,  Ohio,  who  had  established  a  Sun- 
day-school in  his  district,  and  almost  single- 
handed  had  sustained  it  successfully  through 
the  autumn  and  winter.  He  was  through  with 
the  winter  school,  and  anxious  to  find  another, 
for  with  his  earnings  he  was  paying  his  way 
through  college.  He  was  receiving  one  dollar 
a  day  and  boarding  around  for  his  service.  I 
explained  to  him  our  missionary  work,  and  satis- 
fied with  his  qualifications  and  religious  char- 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  147 

acter,  he  was  employed  at  the  same  terms,  a 
dollar  a  day  and  necessary  expenses.  I  reported 
to  our  secretary  at  Philadelphia,  and  the  young 
man,  Jackson  G.  Coffing,  was  commissioned. 

I  assigned  him  to  Decatur  and  Bartholomew 
counties,  Indiana.  With  his  experience,  zeal, 
and  faithfulness,  in  seven  months  he  established 
twenty-five  union  Sunday-schools.  He  sold, 
and  donated  wherever  aid  to  obtain  a  library 
was  needed,  $500  worth  of  our  publications,  and 
a  large  number  of  Bibles  and  Testaments,  where 
there  was  a  famine  for  the  word  of  God  among 
parents  and  children. 

While  engaged  in  this  Christian  work,  the 
great  question  of  his  life's  work  was  settled. 
He  determined  to  study  for  the  gospel  ministry, 
and  entered  an  advanced  class  in  Marietta  Col- 
lege. During  his  vacations,  he  labored  as  a 
missionary  in  the  Muskingum  valley,  where  he 
established  quite  a  number  of  schools,  besides 
doing  other  work  for  the  Master. 

After  graduating,  he  went  to  the  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  and  was 
employed  by  the  New  York  Sunday-School 
Union  in  congenial  service,  for  which  he  was 
well  qualified,  in  the  mission  Sunday-schools  of 
the  city.  Here,  his  labors,  untiring  and  Christ- 
like,  were  greatly  blessed  in  the  gathering  of 
neglected  and  exposed  children  into  the  Sun- 


148  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

day-school  fold,  and  teaching  them  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus. 

A  TROPHY.  In  his  labors  of  love,  he  was  the 
means  of  rescuing  an  orphan  waif  from  the 
slums  of  Baxter  street,  New  York ;  a  little  girl, 
selling  candy  on  the  streets,  whose  home  was 
with  an  aged  and  dependent  woman,  living  in  a 
cheerless  garret.  He  interested  some  good  peo- 
ple in  her  behalf,  she  was  placed  in  a  good 
home,  attended  school,  the  Sunday-school  and 
the  sanctuary.  Educated  and  a  Christian, 
Maria  Cheeseman  was  returned  to  her  kindred 
in  England,  a  lovely,  intelligent,  and  religious 
young  woman.  The  story  of  her  rescue,  "  The 
Candy  Girl,"  is  published  by  the  society,  a 
charming  biography,  illustrating  the  value  of 
missionary  labor  among  the  outcast,  friendless, 
and  exposed  city  waifs. 

After  graduating  at  the  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  Mr.  Coning  with  his  excellent  wife, 
went  to  Syria,  under  the  American  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions.  In  a  few  years,  they,  with 
their  co-laborers,  had  a  Sunday-school  of  over 
500  scholars,  and  a  flourishing  church  at  Aintab. 
In  the  midst  of  his  abundant  and  useful  labors, 
while  travelling  to  a  missionary-meeting  at  the 
foot  of  Mt.  Lebanon,  mistaking  him  for  an 
English  tourist,  he  was  killed  by  a  murderous 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  149 

bandit — a  tragic  ending  of  a  life  God  had  so 
greatly  blessed  and  honored. 

Thirty  years  after  Brother  Coifing  had 
planted  the  Sunday-school  banner  in  those  two 
counties,  I  attended  a  Sunday-school  Conven- 
tion. Memorials  of  his  work  were  found,  and 
his  memory  fondly  cherished  by  some  of  the  old 
people  who  remembered  that  servant  of  God 
and  his  work. 

Theological  students  were  employed  for  their 
vacation,  and  as  far  as  possible  in  localities 
near  at  hand,  or  where  they  were  acquainted. 
Some  seasons  I  would  employ  ten  to  fifteen. 
Most  of  them  would  return  from  their  fields 
bringing  their  sheaves  with  them,  and  bene- 
fitted  in  their  personal  religious  life  and  expe- 
rience, testifying  that  in  contact  with  the  peo- 
ple, by  public  addresses  and  establishing  schools, 
they  acquired  knowledge  not  attainable  within 
the  walls  of  the  seminary. 

Funds  expended  in  the  employment  of  these 
young  men  answered  a  three-fold  purpose: 

(1)  The  self-support  afforded  by  their  earnings. 

(2)  The  personal  benefits  they  realized  in  the 
valuable  experience  gained.     And,  (3)  the  es- 
tablishment of  these  Bible  schools  where  the 
ignorant  and  neglected  are  participants  of  spir- 
itual  good,  taught  in  the  way  of  truth  and 


150  THE   STORY  OF   MY   LIFE. 

righteousness,  and,  we  hope,  many  of  them 
becoming  wise  unto  salvation. 

STEAMBOAT  TRAVELLING.  As  my  territory, 
from  Evansville  to  Steubenville,  was  skirted  a 
distance  of  about  700  miles  by  the  Ohio  river, 
I  found  steamboat  navigation  very  convenient 
and  sometimes  a  light  tax  on  my  pocket-book. 
On  one  of  my  voyages,  the  cabin  well  filled,  I 
found  several  religious  people,  and  proposed 
that  we  should  have  a  religious  service  after 
tea.  The  consent  of  the  captain  was  secured. 
A  lady  at  the  piano,  with  a  few  voices  singing 
a  well-known  hymn  and  a  familiar  tune,  called 
my  congregation,  and  I  preached  unto  them  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  My  audience  increased,  the 
card  tables  were  abandoned,  and  none  of  my 
hearers  left  me  until  I  had  pronounced  the 
benediction.  Several  thanked  me  for  affording 
them  the  opportunity  of  hearing  a  gospel  ser- 
mon, and  avowed  themselves  the  disciples  of 
Christ. 

The  next  morning,  I  called  at  the  office  to 
settle  my  fare.  The  clerk  said  :  "  Your  fare,  $5, 
was  paid  last  night." 

"  That,  I  think,  is  a  mistake,  sir,  for  I  am 
sure  I  did  not  pay  it." 

"It's  all  right,  sir,  all  right.  Your  sermon 
last  night  paid  your  fare.  We  carry  such 
preachers  for  nothing.  No  charge,  sir." 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  151 

ANOTHER  EXPERIENCE.  The  custom  pre- 
vailed on  some  of  our  river  steamers  that  if  a 
cabin  passenger  invaded  the  lower  deck,  the 
quarters  of  the  crew,  they  would  unceremo- 
niously surround  him  and  demand  a  treat ;  a 
bottle  of  whiskey  or  the  money  to  buy  it.  Not 
thinking  of  molestation,  with  some  religious 
tracts  for  circulation,  I  made  my  way  down  to 
the  lower  deck  where  I  found  several  of  the 
crew  seated  on  benches.  I  greeted  them 
politely,  and  was  entering  on  my  mission,  my 
hands  filled  with  tracts.  At  once,  they  crowded 
around  me,  demanding  the  treat,  whiskey  or 
money,  or  they  would  tie  me  to  a  post ;  one  of 
them  holding  a  rope  in  his  hand  evidently 
ready  for  the  business.  I  was  in  a  dilemma. 
I  did  not  think  it  right  to  give  money  for  the 
purpose  they  named,  and  I  did  not  like  the 
looks  of  that  rope. 

I  spoke  to  them  as  gentlemen,  and  asked  that 
before  I  was  tied  to  the  post  they  would  let  me 
speak  five  minutes  on  the  subject  of  temperance. 
The  request  was  granted,  with  only  one  dissent- 
ing voice.  He  "  wanted  no  fooling."  I  spoke 
kindly  and  earnestly  on  the  evils  of  drinking 
liquor,  but  very  soon  one  of  them  said : 
"  First  rate,  that  is  enough,  let  him  go." 

"  No,  gentlemen,  I  have  not  finished  my  five 
minutes,"  and  so  I  was  allowed  my  time.  I  gave 


152  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

each  of  them  a  tract,  thanked  them  for  my  kind 
treatment,  and  went  up  into  the  cabin  with  a 
new  experience. 

Soon  afterward,  a  fellow  passenger,  enraged, 
threatened  vengeance,  with  a  bowie  knife  in  his 
hand,  saying  that  the  deck  hands  had  forced 
him  to  give  them  money  to  buy  liquor.  They 
had  tied  him  to  a  post  and  extorted  the  money 
before  he  was  released.  I  went  to  him,  and  re- 
lated my  experience  an  hour  or  two  before. 
He  listened,  cooled  off,  sheathed  his  bowie 
knife,  and  said : 

"I  will  know  how  to  deal  with  such  fellows 
hereafter;  but  I  must  first  quit  drinking,  be  a 
temperance  man,  and  learn  how  to  make  a  tem- 
perance speech." 

BACKWOODS  CURRENCY.  In  the  first  settle- 
ment of  Darke  and  Mercer  counties,  Ohio,  in  the 
absence  of  money,  the  hardy  pioneers  used,  as  a 
circulating  medium,  a  home-made  currency. 
The  woods  abounded  in  young  hickory  trees, 
just  the  material  to  make  hoop-poles,  which 
they  would  cut  and  take  to  market  and  barter 
for  store  goods,  or  cash. 

In  a  new  settlement,  a  few  miles  from.  Fort 
Greenville,  where  General  Anthony  Wayne  in 
1795  negotiated  a  treaty  with  the  Indians,  ced- 
ing a  large  area  of  land  to  the  United  States 
Government,  I  found  several  religious  families 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER    LIFE.  153 

without  a  church  or  a  Sunday-school,  but  very 
anxious  to  enjoy  gospel  privileges  and  to  have  a 
Sunday-school  established.  The  opening  for 
my  work  was  encouraging,  and  I  entered  upon 
it  with  confidence.  In  visiting  the  families  dur- 
ing the  day  I  announced  a  preaching  service  at 
their  log  school-house  in  the  evening.  I  had  a 
good  turn  out,  my  humble  sanctuary  was 
crowded,  and  I  knew  that  my  hearers  were 
hungry  for  the  word,  glad  to  hear  the  gospel 
from  the  lips  of  a  stranger.  I  endeavored  to 
show  them  that  godliness  is  profitable  unto  all 
things,  and  they  gave  earnest  heed  to  the  word 
spoken.  At  the  close,  we  held  a  conference  on 
the  subject  of  establishing  a  Sunday-school. 
The  outlook  was  bright,  and  a  meeting  for  that 
purpose  was  appointed  for  the  next  evening. 

The  following  day  I  spent  in  becoming  better 
acquainted  with  the  people  and  their  religious 
needs.  I  found  several  of  different  denomina- 
tions, and  some  of  none,  yet  they  were  willing 
to  unite  in  the  support  of  a  union  Sunday- 
school.  Two  of  the  families  had  been  con- 
nected with  a  Sunday-school  in  the  old  settle- 
ments, and  having  experience  and  an  interest  in 
the  work,  they  gave  me  much  encouragement. 

Our  meeting  to  confer  in  regard  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  school  was  well  attended. 
After  my  address,  a  vote  was  taken,  and  it  was 


154  THE   STORY    OF   MY   LIFE. 

unanimous  that  a  school  should  be  started  and 
a  superintendent  elected.  I  showed  samples  of 
the  books  necessary  for  the  successful  operation 
of  the  school,  and  asked  for  a  contribution  for 
their  purchase.  Knowing  their  poverty,  I  said, 
if  they  could  raise  five  dollars,  the  society  would 
donate  the  balance  needed  to  secure  the 
elementary  books  and  a  hundred  volume  library. 
The  collection  was  almost  a  failure,  the  response 
was  very  feeble.  While  the  financial  movement 
was  at  a  stand,  I  saw  two  men  conversing  to- 
gether earnestly,  and  one  of  them  came  to  me, 
and  inquired  if  I  could  use  hoop-poles.  I 
scarcely  understood  his  question,  and  asked  how 
hoop-poles  could  be  converted  into  money. 

"I'll  tell  you  our  plan.  John,  and  me,  with 
our  boys,  can  go  to  the  woods,  .and  cut  a  wagon 
load,  and  you  can  have  them  to  help  pay  for 
these  books  we  need,  and  want  to  have." 

"But,  my  good  friend,  I  cannot  take  them  to 
market  in  my  saddle  bag.  What  will  it  cost  to 
take  them,  and  how  much  money  will  a  load  of 
hoop-poles  bring?  " 

"  Well,  the  road  is  good  now,  a  team  can 
take  them  to  the  canal,  and  return  in  .about 
three  days,  and  if  the  load  is  large,  and  the 
hoop-poles  good,  it  will  bring,  say,  four  dol- 
lars." 

With  this   information,    delighted   with  the 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  155 

willing  mind  of  the  people,  and  their  anxiety  to 
secure  the  books,  I  said :  "  Th'e  American  Sun- 
day-School Union  will  take  the  will  for  the  deed, 
and  will  give  the  books  as  a  donation." 

This  announcement  was  a  joyous  surprise  to 
these  people  in  their  abounding  poverty,  and 
they  accepted  it  as  a  gift,  divinely  bestowed 
from  a  source  they  knew  not  of.  As  the  almoner 
of  the  benefactions  of  contributors  to  the  Ameri- 
can Sunday-School  Union,  I  always  endeavored 
to  be  careful  and  judicious  in  their  bestowment 
— to  help  those  who  did  their  best  to  help  them- 
selves. In  this  way,  the  people  were  encour- 
aged, and  the  funds  of  the  society  properly  ap- 
plied, a  safe  investment,  yielding  a  large  and  sure 
dividend. 

Revisiting.  I  spent  some  time  in  North-west- 
ern Ohio  breaking  new  ground  and  looking  af- 
ter the  Sunday-schools  I  had  established  on 
previous  tours.  I  found  most  of  the  schools 
holding  on  and  prospering.  One  had  developed 
into  a  religious  society,  housed  in  a  hewed  log 
chapel,  and  enjoying  the  ministrations  of  the 
gospel.  Some  were  languishing,  and  needed 
reviving,  and  two  had  "  died  out,"  disbanded, 
proved  failures.  I  made  inquiries  to  ascertain 
what  had  become  of  the  Bibles,  hymn  books, 
and  library  belonging  to  the  defunct  schools. 
I  was  informed  that  after  the  schools  ceased  to 


156  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

exist  the  books,  in  equal  shares,  were  divided 
among  the  families  that  attended  the  schools. 
Thus,  the  dead  Sunday-school  lived  a  vigorous 
life  through  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  a  sound 
Christian  literature  in  the  homes,  and  in  the 
hands  of  parents  and  children  otherwise  largely 
destitute. 

A  BOY  ON  THE  WOOD-PILE.  In  travelling 
through  a  new  country  from  one  settlement  to 
another,  following  a  poor  path,  or  blazed  tracks 
through  the  woods,  I  frequently  lost  my  way, 
wandering  in  uncertainty  till  I  would  see  an 
improvement,  a  new  home  in  the  forest,  or 
strike  a  road.  On  such  occasions,  I  generally 
found  that  my  trusty  horse  having  his  own 
way  would  go  in  a  straight  line,  and  take  me 
to  a  clearing,  or  a  road ;  but  if  I  handled  the 
reins,  his  course  would  be  zig-zag,  and  we  would 
wander  in  a  circle,  and  make  slow  headway  out 
of  the  woods. 

By  the  sagacity  of  my  horse  I  was  glad  to 
see  a  fence,  then  a  cabin,  which  I  was  glad  to 
approach  after  wandering  for  hours  in  the  for- 
est. On  a  wood-pile,  in  front  of  a  log  house, 
sat  a  boy  reading.  Emerging  out  of  the  woods, 
my  eyes  feasted  on  the  sight,  a  grand  spectacle 
of  civilization  in  its  literary  character  in  the 
wilds  of  Ohio.  Cheered  by  the  unexpected 
sight,  I  rode  up  to  the  wood-pile,  and  greeted 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  157 

the  lad,  about  fourteen  years  of  age.  I  inquired 
the  way  to  a  settlement  I  desired  to  reach.  He 
answered  my  question  satisfactorily.  I  thanked 
him  and  asked  what  book  he  was  reading. 
Without  looking  for  the  title,  he  replied, 
promptly  : 

"  *  The  Bible  is  True,'  sir." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  the  Bible,  my  boy  ?  " 

"  Well  sir,  I  think  a  heap  of  the  Bible,  for  it 
is  the  book  that  God  gave  us." 

"  Where  did  you  get  the  book  you  are  read- 

ing?" 

"  In  our  Sunday-school  library,  sir." 
"  Where  is  your  Sunday-school  ?  " 
"  Two  miles  from  here,  at   the    cross-roads, 
where  you  turn  east." 

"  Do  you  go  two  miles  to  a  Sunday-school  ?  " 
"  O,  yes  sir,  and  I  like  to  go." 
"  When  was  your  Sunday-school  started  ?  " 
"  Well,  sir,  about  two  years  ago  the  Sunday- 
school  missionary  came   along,  and   he  helped 
the  folks  to  start  it,  and  Esquire  Johnson  has 
kept  it  a-going  ever  since." 

"  What  do  you  do  in  your  Sunday-school  ?  " 
"  Why,  we  learn  verses  in  the  week  at  home, 
and  say  them  to  our  teachers,  and  we  have  ques- 
tion books,  and  we  answer  questions,  and  I  get 
a  new  book  every  Sunday  from  the  library." 
The  book  in  the  hands  of  that  boy,    "  The 


158  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Bible  is  True,"  was  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Sunday-School  Union.  The  argument 
from  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  in  simple  lan- 
guage, and  easily  comprehended,  is  the  text  of 
the  book.  It  is  just  the  book,  in  style,  matter, 
and  object  that  our  boys  and  girls  should  read 
that  they  may  know  and  believe  that  the  Bible 
"  is  the  book  God  gave  us,"  and,  thus  instructed, 
they  may  "  think  a  heap  of  the  Bible,"  and  ac- 
cept it  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and 
practice. 

This  incident,  showing  the  value  and  import- 
ance of  the  Sunday-school,  its  Divine  text- 
book, oral  instruction,  its  literature,  and  its  ele- 
vating influence,  cheered  my  heart,  and  encour- 
aged me  in  the  prosecution  of  my  missionary 
labors,  though  sometimes  attended  with  diffi- 
culties and  disappointments. 

The  missionary  department  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  as  well  as  the  publishing 
department,  meets  the  condition  and  needs  of 
the  people  in  early  settlements  of  the  West, 
and,  blessed  of  God,  has  accomplished  a  great 
evangelistic  work  in  their  behalf. 

SECURING  A  LIBRARY.  On  "Seven  Mile," 
a  beautiful  stream,  tributary  to  the  Great  Miami 
river,  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  in  a  small  village 
of  the  same  name,  I  found  a  church  of  "  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,"  a  small  brick  meeting 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  159 

house,  with  a  "  circuit  rider  "  preaching  once  a 
month,  and  no  Sunday-school.  Calling  on  the 
citizens  at  their  homes,  and  finding  in  the  dail}r 
school  a  teacher,  religious  and  interested  in  Sun- 
day-school work,  who  would  cooperate  with  me, 
I  was  much  encouraged.  Arrangements  were 
made  for  a  public  meeting  in  behalf  of  early 
religious  education  and  the  Sunday-school 
work. 

The  family  that  entertained  me  and  my  horse, 
became  very  much  interested  in  my  mission, 
and  burdened  me  with  kindness  and  attention. 
The  farm  was  large  and  fertile,  the  barn  well 
filled,  and  the  home  a  two-story  hewed  log 
house,  and  their  table  loaded  with  substantial 
and  delicacies.  Seldom  in  my  journeying  had 
my  lot  fallen  in  such  a  pleasant  place. 

At  the  appointed  hour,  I  found  the  meeting- 
house well  filled  with  respectable  and  well  dis- 
posed people,  waiting  to  hear  my  message  on 
the  Sunday-school  subject.  After  my  discourse, 
they  voted  to  have  a  Sunday-school  and  elected 
the  daily  school-teacher  superintendent.  I  had 
some  books  on  the  table,  and  spoke  of  the  im- 
portance of  a  good  supply  for  the  use  of  the 
school,  and  that  when  they  employed  a  man  to 
work  on  their  farms,  they  supplied  him  with  the 
implements  of  husbandry  necessary  to  work  with 
advantage.  The  Sunday-school  was  a  field  to  be 


160  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

cultivated,  and  these  Bibles,  hymn  books,  ques- 
tion books,  are  the  implements  needed,  and  a 
suitable  supply  at  the  opening  of  the  school 
would  cost  $20.00.  In  a  community  so  well-to- 
do,  and  apparently  interested,  I  had  no  misgiv- 
ings as  to  raising  the  funds. 

I  held  a  subscription  paper  and  pencil  ready 
to  take  names.  The  well-to-do  farmer  whose 
guest  I  was,  and  from  whom  I  expected  a  good 
start,  after  a  solemn  pause  ventured  to  break  the 
silence,  and  said :  "  Put  me  down  for  a  bit  "  (the 
eighth  of  a  dollar).  This  was  a  damper  and  a  dis- 
appointment. I  hesitated  to  make  the  record, 
waiting  for  a  better  beginning.  A  voice  came 
from  the  crowd,  "  Put  my  name  down  for  a  dol- 
lar." That  I  did  with  a  flourish,  and  my  host 
stood  up,  and  said :  "  Well,  if  Jacob  can  give 
a  dollar,  I  will  do  the  same.  Please  change  my 
figure."  In  a  few  minutes  I  had  $18  subscrib- 
ed, and  the  congregation  was  "enthused"  and 
delighted  at  the  result  of  our  meeting. 

The  school  was  organized,  and  prospered,  and 
continues  to  this  day.  Now,  with  two  other 
large  and  flourishing  schools  in  the  village,  it 
remains  a  witness  not  to  despise  the  day  of  small 
things. 

A  PRESBYTERIAN  CAMP-MEETING.  In  1846, 
the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati  (New  School) 
licensed  A.  A.  Vance  to  preach  the  gospel.  He 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  161 

spent  several  years  of  his  young  life  in  active 
business,  serving  the  Lord  at  the  same  time,  an 
elder  in  the  church  and  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school,  a  diligent  student  of  the  Bible. 
Having  a  good  common  education,  a  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  and  being  of  studious  habits, 
after  spending  a  year  in  Lane  Seminary  he  ap- 
plied for  licensure.  Some  members  of  Presby- 
tery thought  that  he  would  better  serve  God  as 
a  layman  ;  others  favored  his  application.  He 
was  examined,  and  performed  certain  parts  of 
trial  which  were  sustained,  and  after  consider- 
able discussion  he  was  licensed. 

The  young  preacher,  anxious  for  work,  did 
not  wait  for  a  formal  call.  He  went  out  into 
the  highways  and  hedges,  found  three  feeble 
churches,  almost  ready  to  disband — a  very  dis- 
couraging field — in  the  hill  country  a  few  miles 
back  of  Madison,  Indiana.  With  courage  and 
faith,  love  to  Christ  and  the  souls  of  the  perish- 
ing, he  commenced  his  work.  Visiting  from 
house  to  house,  his  good  social  qualities,  savored 
with  grace,  made  many  friends,  and  his  earnest 
scriptural  preaching  fed  the  flock  and  won  souls 
to  the  Saviour  and  his  fold. 

Yearning  for  the  enlargement  of  Zion  and  the 
salvation  of  souls  scattered  over  his  extended 
field,  in  September,  1846,  he  secured  the  united 

efforts  of  his  three  churches  to  hold  a  camp-meet- 
11 


162  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

ing.  A  central  grove,  convenient  for  the  three 
churches,  was  selected,  a  beautiful  spot,  over- 
shadowed by  forest  trees.  Some  thirty  families 
built  log  cabins  surrounding  the  area  where  seats 
were  provided  for  an  audience  of  five  hundred, 
and  on  the  west  side  a  platform  was  erected,  and 
the  preacher's  cabin  in  the  rear.  These  fami- 
lies brought  their  beds,  cooking  utensils,  and 
provisions  with  them.  In  the  rear  of  the  cab- 
ins, fuel  being  abundant  and  water  convenient, 
our  daily  bread  was  prepared,  good  farmer's 
fare,  and  plenty  of  it.  The  camp-ground  was 
lighted  with  candles  attached  to  the  trees,  with 
log  fires  burning  in  different  places. 

These  arrangements  made,  at  the  appointed 
day,  the  people,  in  wagons,  on  horseback,  and 
on  foot,  began  to  arrive,  and  before  sunset  near- 
ly all  the  cabins  were  occupied. 

Pastor  Vance,  full  of  zeal  and  the  spirit  of  ser-. 
vice,  was  our  leader,  aided  by  Rev.  Henry  Lit- 
tle, agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society  ;  Rev.  A.  Carnahan  of  Dayton,  Indiana ; 
Rev.  H.  Curtis  of  Madison,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  missionary.  After  an  early  supper,  the 
camp  shrouded  in  the  mantle  of  night,  and  il- 
luminated by  the  blazing  log  fires  and  the  tal- 
low candles  on  the  platform,  the  sound  of  a  tin 
horn  called  the  people  together  for  a  prayer- 
meeting  before  the  hour  for  preaching.  A 


ANECDOTES   OF    PIONEER   LIFE.  163 

spirit  of  prayer  evidently  filled  the  hearts  of 
the  suppliants,  beseeching  the  presence  and 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  encampment, 
and  in  the  souls  of  all  present.  Two  of  the 
brethren  preached  practical  discourses  adapted 
to  our  circumstances  at  the  opening  of  the  meet- 
ing. They  evidently  interested  and  impressed 
the  audience.  At  the  close,  the  congregation 
dispersed.  Those  who  lived  not  far  away,  went 
to  their  homes,  the  families  to  their  cabins,  and 
the  five  preachers  to  their  quarters,  comfort- 
ably furnished,  for  the  rest  of  the  night.  This 
was  our  home,  where  we  enjoyed  social  con- 
verse, laid  out  our  plans,  and  received  visitors. 
We  were  the  guests  of  the  families,  and  fared 
well. 

At  five  the  next  morning,  the  sound  of  the 
tin  horn  aroused  us,  and  at  six  o'clock  we  had 
family  worship  in  the  cabin  where  we  break- 
fasted. Then  followed  a  half  hour  for  prayer 
and  conference  held  in  front  of  the  plat- 
form. During  the  day  we  had  three  sermons, 
doctrinal  and  practical — the  law  and  the  gospel 
— with  earnest  appeals  to  the  unconverted  to 
consider  their  ways,  to  repent  of  sin,  and  accept 
the  Saviour  now  able  and  willing  to  save  them. 
It  was  soon  evident  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
moving  on  the  hearts  of  the  people,  reviving 
believers,  and  awakening  the  impenitent.  Meet- 


164  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

ings  for  inquirers  were  held  after  the  preach- 
ing, arid  the  opportunity  to  converse  on  the 
subject  of  religion  was  at  first  accepted  by  a 
few  ;  but,  day  by  day,  the  number  increased, 
and  converts  testified  of  the  power  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  save,  and  their  purpose  to  confess 
and  to  serve  him.  Meetings  of  session  were 
held,  and  applicants  for  membership,  if  the  way 
was  clear,  were  received  into  the  church. 

On  the  third  day  of  our  services,  the  com- 
munion was  celebrated,  and  thirteen  converts 
confessed  Christ  and  partook  of  the  sealing 
ordinance.  Among  these  were  a  father  and 
five  children.  The  godly  wife  and  mother  had 
long  prayed  and  faithfully  labored  for  their 
conversion.  She  told  one  of  the  preachers  the 
first  day  of  the  meeting,  that  she  had  in  her 
heart  the  assurance  that  God  would  graciously 
answer  her  prayers,  and  that  on  this  encamp- 
ment her  husband  and  her  children  would  be 
saved.  God  honored  her  faith  and  her  labors 
of  love  in  behalf  of  her  family.  The  new 
members  occupied  the  seat  in  front  of  the  plat- 
form and  the  table,  to  take  upon  them  the  vows 
of  the  Lord,  and  to  confess  Christ  before  men. 
It  was  a  touching  sight  when  this  wife  and 
mother  left  her  place  among  the  communicants, 
and  took  her  seat  at  the  side  of  her  husband, 
two  sons,  and  three  daughters,  for  the  first  time 


ANECDOTES   OF   PIONEER   LIFE.  165 

with  them  to  commemorate  the  love  of  Jesus 
and  his  death  for  them. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  meeting,  a  young 
woman  was  awakened,  and  inquired  what  she 
must  do  to  be  saved,  but  her  impenitent  father 
placed  every  obstacle  in  her  way.  She  con- 
tinued to  seek  her  personal  salvation,  and  was 
converted.  Her  father  relented,  and,  on  the 
last  day  of  the  meeting,  he  met  the  session, 
applied  for  membership,  and  was  received. 

During  our  six  days  of  waiting  on  the  Lord, 
our  congregations  were  good  and  orderly.  To 
the  "  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort  "  a  Presby- 
terian camp-meeting  offered  few  attractions; 
hence,  we  were  not  disturbed.  This  conse- 
crated week,  spent  on  the  mount,  in  the  forest 
of  Indiana,  was  a  blessing  to  us  all.  Near 
forty  sinners  professed  their  faith  and  trust  in 
Jesus,  three  weak  churches,  a  year  before  on 
the  eve  of  dissolution,  were  revived  and 
strengthened,  and  were  rejoicing  in  bright 
prospects  for  the  future.  As  ministers,  we 
enjoyed  preaching  the  gospel,  the  inquiry  meet- 
ings, personal  intercourse  with  the  people,  and 
especially,  our  social,  brotherly  fellowship  in 
our  quarters,  and  walking  in  the  woods,  realiz- 
ing the  sweet  experience  so  happily  expressed 
in  the  hymn : 


166  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 

Our  hearts  in  Christian  love  ! 
The  fellowship  of  kindred  minds 

Is  like  to  that  above. 
*  *  *  * 

"From  sorrow,  toil,  and  pain, 

And  sin,  we  shall  be  free  ; 
And  perfect  love  and  friendship  reign 

Through  all  eternity." 

Of  these  dear  brethren,  pastor  Vance,  the  true 
servant  of  Christ  and  his  church,  in  two  years 
was  called  from  the  work  he  loved  so  much  to 
the  rest  above ;  Brother  Carnahan,  dearly 
beloved,  and  highly  esteemed  for  his  work's 
sake,  departed  many  years  ago;  Brother  Henry 
Little,  the  pioneer  herald  of  the  cross  in 
Indiana,  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be 
ashamed,  apt,  and  clear  in  dividing  the  word 
of  God,  arid  faithful  in  proclaiming  it,  like  a 
shock  of  corn  fully  ripe,  was  more  recently 
welcomed  to  the  heavenly  home ;  Brother 
Curtis,  with  his  silver  tongue,  warm  Christian 
heart,  and  passion  for  souls,  has  also  ended  his 
earthly  consecrated  labors,  while  the  writer, 
now  far  down  the  declivity  of  life,  is  still  at 
work,  satisfied  with  the  long  life  God  has  given 
him,  and  cheerfully  and  hopefully  waiting  the 
will  of  his  Lord  ;  while  his  co-laborers  at  the 
Middle  Fork  Presbyterian  camp-meeting  have 
finished  their  course,  kept  the  faith,  and  won 
the  prize. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

INCIDENTS  OF  WIDER  WOEK. 

A  STEP  ONWAED.  As  Sunday-schools  multi- 
plied, and  public  interest  in  the  work 
increased,  I  found  it  practicable  in  towns,  and 
sometimes  in  the  country,  where  we  could 
unite  two  or  more  schools  to  hold  a  special  meet- 
ing for  worship  and  instruction.  Securing  the 
approval  and  cooperation  of  the  ministers  and 
officers  of  the  schools,  and  holding  the  meeting 
at  an  hour  not  interfering  with  the  other  ser- 
vices, we  had  large  audiences  of  scholars,  teach- 
ers and  friends. 

Our  object  being  to  interest  the  youth  in  the 
study  of  the  Scriptures,  and  in  the  increase  of 
religious  knowledge,  I  never  aimed  to  amuse 
my  hearers,  or  to  excite  merriment  and  laugh- 
ter. The  work  on  hand  was  too  serious  and 
important  to  admit  of  "  courting  a  smile,  when 
I  should  win  a  soul."  I  always  endeavored, 
after  selecting  a  proper  subject,  in  a  lively,  and, 
if  possible,  in  an  interesting  way,  to  arouse  and 
hold  the  attention  of  my  youthful  hearers,  and 
to  feed  them  with  "the  sincere  milk  of  the 

(167) 


168  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

word,"  that,  thereby,  they  might  grow  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  of  Christ,  and 
salvation.  The  "  old,  old  story  "  told  in  simple, 
clear  language,  illustrated  by  incidents,  graphic, 
and  with  a  point  easily  seen  and  understood, 
seldom  failed  to  interest  my  confiding  and 
impressible  hearers. 

Of  this  I  had  an  illustration  in  1889.  Invited 
to  address  a  large  Sunday-school  gathering  at 
Mt.  Auburn,  Cincinnati,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
dedication  of  "  Clifford  Chapel,"  their  beautiful 
and  well  arranged  Sunday-school  home,  the 
superintendent,  George  Keys  Thompson,  Esq., 
a  distinguished  lawyer  and  elder  in  the  church, 
a  leader  in  religious  work,  in  presenting  me  to 
the  congregation  composed  of  adults  and  youth, 
said :  "  When  I  was  a  boy,  attending  Sunday- 
school,  a  Sunday-school  missionary  addressed 
us.  His  talk  interested  and  impressed  my 
young  mind,  and  I  have  never  forgotten  some 
things  he  said ;  and,  now,  my  dear  scholars,  I 
am  going  to  introduce  the  same  Sunday-school 
missionary  to  you." 

This  unexpected  testimony  from  such  a  wit- 
ness, in  such  encouraging  words,  cheered  and 
strengthened  my  soul,  and  filled  it  with  thanks- 
giving to  God  for  the  privilege  and  pleasure  of 
being  his  servant  in  such  a  blessed  work. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CELEBRATIONS.     With  the 


INCIDENTS  OF  WIDER    WORK.  169 

advance  of  the  Sunday-school  cause  in  the 
country,  especially  in  agricultural  districts, 
another  phase  of  progress  and  usefulness  was 
developed  in  popular  gatherings  of  youth  and 
adults.  In  the  summer,  after  the  harvest  was 
gathered,  and  farm  work  was  not  pressing, 
arrangements  would  be  made  for  this  gathering 
of  Sunday-schools  and  their  friends.  A  com- 
mittee would  be  appointed,  whose  duty  it  was 
to  select  some  central  grove  for  the  place  of 
meeting,  prepare  the  platform  and  the  seats, 
arrange  the  singing,  and  select  the  speakers. 

Generally,  from  five  to  twenty  schools  would 
unite,  from  a  large  area  of  country,  and  repre- 
senting all  denominations.  At  the  appointed 
time,  the  schools,  averaging  seventy-five  scholars, 
in  decorated  farm  wagons,  drawn  by  four  horses, 
would  arrive  at  the  entrance  of  the  grove.  On 
their  arrival,  with  the  national  flag  and  their 
Sunday-school  banners  waving,  they  would  be 
welcomed  by  the  local  school,  and  escorted, 
singing  as  they  marched,  to  the  seats  in  front 
of  the  platform.  When  all  the  schools  were 
assembled  and  seated,  one  of  them  would  go  to 
the  platform  and  open  the  service,  singing  a 
favorite  hymn,  followed  by  reading  a  Scripture 
lesson,  and  prayer.  Another  school  would  then 
take  the  platform,  and  praise  God  in  sacred 
song,  the  audience  joining  in  the  chorus.  With 


170  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

this  introductory  service  preparing  the  way,  an 
address  on  some  subject  relating  to  religious 
education  would  be  delivered,  followed  by 
another  on  some  feature  in  our  Sunday-school 
work,  regarding  methods  of  management  and 
teaching,  and  the  use  of  the  library.  At  the 
noon  hour,  the  grove  carpeted  with  green  sod 
would  suddenly  become  a  vast  dining  hall. 
On  white  table  cloths,  spread  on  the  green  sod, 
the  well  filled  baskets  would  be  emptied  of 
their  contents,  and  a  well  prepared  and  plenti- 
ful dinner  would  be  relished. 

The  grove  then  presented  a  lively  social 
scene.  Scores  of  groups,  families  and  invited 
guests,  happy  and  joyous,  beneath  majestic 
trees,  was  an  inspiring  scene,  the  product  of 
our  Christian  civilization  and  our  Sunday- 
school  work.  During  this  noon  hour,  socia- 
bility had  the  sway,  old  friends  met  each  other, 
and  new  acquaintances  were  made,  and  the 
young  people  were  free  and  easy,  enjoying 
themselves  in  the  most  decorous  and  genial 
manner. 

The  singing  on  the  platform  by  one  of  the 
schools  was  our  call  to  re-assemble.  Addresses 
to  parents  and  teachers  and  the  general  public 
were  heard,  interspersed  with  soul-stirring 
songs,  rendering  our  afternoon  services  inter- 
esting and  profitable.  At  its  close,  there  took 


INCIDENTS  OF  WIDER   WORK.  171 

place  a  general  hand  shaking  and  hearty  good- 
bye. Then,  in  their  wagons,  waving  their 
banners,  and  with  the  voice  of  song,  the  schools 
departed,  and  the  crowd  soon  dispersed.  Such 
a  day  of  relaxation,  instruction,  and  Christian 
sociability,  had  a  favorable  influence  on  the 
moral  and  religious  interests  of  the  people  and 
on  the  advancement  of  the  Sunday-school  cause. 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CONVENTIONS.  Another 
footprint  of  the  onward  march  of  Sunday-school 
progress  and  usefulness  was  indicated  in  the 
organization  of  union  county  conventions  in 
Ohio  and  Indiana,  as  well  as  all  over  our  broad 
land.  Thirty  years  ago  many  of  the  counties 
of  Ohio  were  organized,  and  in  excellent  work- 
ing order.  Their  annual  meetings  brought 
together  many  fellow  laborers  for  prayer  and 
conference,  collected  reliable  statistics,  and  pro- 
moted Christian  unity  and  co-operation  in  the 
furtherance  of  the  good  work.  For  the  more 
vigorous  and  successful  prosecution  of  the 
work,  township  organizations  were  secured,  and 
a  system  of  visitation  of  the  schools  introduced 
with  very  satisfactory  results.  It  was  found 
that  if  these  county  and  township  organizations 
were  worked  in  love  and  with  spiritual  power, 
with  wisdom  and  faithfulness,  new  life  and 
energy  would  be  infused  all  along  the  line  of 


172  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Sunday-school  effort  to  teach  the  Bible,  to  save 
souls  and  to  honor  God. 

State  Organizations.  The  spirit  of  union  and 
labor  developed  in  the  county  and  township 
organizations  naturally  led  to  a  State  Union. 
The  first  that  I  attended,  and  probably  the 
first  in  Ohio,  was  held  in  Cincinnati.  General 
O.  M.  Mitchell,  the  devout  astronomer  and 
brave  soldier,  was  president.  For  two  days 
Smith  and  Nixon's  Hall  was  crowded,  and  great 
interest  manifested  in  its  proceedings.  Ad- 
dresses were  made  by  Hon.  John  A.  Foote  of 
Cleveland,  Hon.  Belamy  Storer  of  Cincinnati, 
and  other  earnest  and  able  advocates  of  the 
Bible  study,  and  of  the  Sunday-school  as  a 
potent  agency  in  its  promotion. 

In  the  early  history  of  these  state  Sunday- 
school  conventions  I  was  honored  with  invita- 
tions to  attend  and  participate  in  those  of  New 
York,  held  in  Binghamtori ;  Wisconsin,  in 
Racine ;  Missouri,  at  Warrensburg ;  Illinois,  at 
Bloomirigton  ;  Indiana,  at  Indianapolis;  Massa- 
chusetts, at  Boston  ;  Kentucky,  at  Maysville  ; 
Michigan,  at  Detroit,  and  in  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  at  Montreal  and  at  Kingston. 

Attending  these  conventions,  and  associating 
with  so  many  Christ-loving  and  earnest  people, 
deeply  interested  and  experienced  in  the  Sun- 
day-school work,  and  in  the  religious  welfare  of 


INCIDENTS  OF   WIDER   WORK.  173 

youth,  was  to  me  a  great  advantage,  broaden- 
ing my  views  of  the  work,  and  by  the  inter- 
change of  ideas  my  knowledge  was  increased, 
my  confidence  strengthened,  and  my  zeal  quick- 
ened. I  am  a  debtor  to  my  co-laborers  for  a 
large  amount  of  encouragement,  inspiration, 
and  help  in  missionary  labors. 

I  cherish  many  and  precious  memories  of 
these  state  conventions.  At  Detroit,  Michi- 
gan, a-  large,  enthusiastic,  and  practical  meet- 
ing, it  was  my  lot  at  an  evening  service  to  be 
sandwiched  in  the  order  of  speaking  between 
the  distinguished  philanthropist,  Gerrit  Smith, 
Esq.,  and  the  no  less  distinguished  soldier  and 
statesman,  Hon.  Lewis  Cass.  Their  eloquent 
and  weighty  endorsement  of  Christianity,  the 
Bible  and  the  Bible  school,  the  Sabbath  and 
the  sanctuary,  thrilled  the  great  congregation 
with  delight  and  enthusiasm  ;  with  courage  and 
strength  to  do  more  and  better  work  for  Christ 
and  the  children,  for  God  and  the  country. 

One  of  our  early  conventions  in  Ohio  was 
held  at  Columbus,  where  the  Sunday-school 
host  mustered  in  great  numbers.  T.  P.  Handy, 
Esq.,  of  Cleveland,  presided.  The  subject  of 
Sunday-school  literature  was  thoroughly  dis- 
cussed. Libraries,  carefully  selected  by  compe- 
tent persons,  were  commended,  and  their  intro- 
duction and  use  recommended.  "  How  to  hold 


174  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

our  scholars  in  regular  and  continued  attend- 
ance "  was  considered,  as  also  the  subject  of 
"Sunday-school  benevolence;  how  developed, 
and  to  what  applied." 

The  last  afternoon  was  devoted  to  the  chil- 
dren. The  schools  of  the  city  met  in  their 
respective  churches,  and  numbering  3500 
scholars,  officers  and  teachers,  with  waving 
banners  and  music,  marched  to  the  eastern 
terrace  of  the  State  House,  where,  surrounded 
by  a  large  assembly  of  citizens,  after  singing 
and  praying,  they  were  addressed  by  Hon.  Wil- 
liam Dennison,  governor  of  the  State.  In 
"thoughts  that  breathe,  and  words  that  burn" 
he  eloquently  and  effectively  commended  the 
Sunday-school,  its  literature  and  hallowed  influ- 
ences, to  the  confidence,  and  liberal  support  of 
all  citizens  that  loved  their  country,  their  God, 
and  their  race. 

The  First  National  Sunday-school  Convention 
I  attended  was  held  in  Jaynes'  Hall,  Philadel- 
phia. Gov.  James  Pollock  presided.  Sixteen 
States  were  represented  by  600  delegates,  and 
two  days  were  spent  in  prayer,  praise  and  in 
the  earnest  discussion  of  great  principles  rela- 
ting to  Bible  study,  Sabbath  observance,  and 
the  evangelization  of  the  masses.  An  hour 
during  the  second  day  was  given  for  a  chil- 
dren's meeting.  George  H.  Stuart  presided. 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  175 

The  immense  hall  was  crowded,  and  addresses, 
short  and  ringing,  were  delivered  by  Ralph 
Wells,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  Rev.  S.  H.  Tyng,  Sr., 
D.D.,  and  Rev.  H.  Clay  Trumbull,  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  others.  The  meeting  was  a  grand 
success,  interesting  old  and  young,  and  worthy 
of  the  great  convention  under  whose  auspices 
it  was  held. 

THE  INTERNATIONAL  CONVENTION  marked 
another  era  of  progress  in  the  Sunday-school 
work,  especially  in  its  extension,  and  the  growing 
spirit  of  unity  and  cooperation  in  its  advance- 
ment. The  first  of  these  new  national  conven- 
tions was  held  in  Indianapolis,  in  1872,  when,  after 
considerable  discussion,  the  plan  of  using  uniform 
lessons  was  adopted,  and  provisions  made  by  the 
appointment  of  a  large  and  competent  committee 
of  ministers  and  laymen  of  six  different  denom- 
inations to  carry  it  out.  The  formulated  les- 
sons have  been  used  for  many  years.  Some 
Bible  teachers,  earnest  and  faithful,  have  found 
the  lessons  fragmentary  and  the  continuity  of  the 
text  broken,  a  great  disadvantage  in  obtaining 
a  systematic  and  satisfactory  knowledge  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  that  the  idea  of  all  our 
schools  having  the  same  lesson  would  be  a 
great  advantage.  This  is  more  of  a  sentiment 
than  reality. 

Fifty  years  ago,  the  American  Sunday-School 


176  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Union  prepared  and  published  a  series  of  con- 
secutive question  books,  in  which  the  text  was 
unbroken  and  its  continuity  maintained.  For 
many  years  they  were  widely  used,  and  found 
very  helpful  in  the  systematic  study  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

CALLED  EAST.  In  the  spring  of  1845, 1  was  in- 
vited to  attend  the  twenty-first  anniversary  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union  in  Philadelphia, 
on  the  20th  of  May.  On  Sunday  evening  pre- 
vious, the  annual  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev. 
Richard  Storrs,  D.D.,  of  Braintree,  Massa- 
chusetts. The  service  was  held  in  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  Washington  Square.  The 
pastor,  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  presided.  The 
sermon  on  the  "Reasonableness  of  early  re- 
ligious training,"  was  appropriate,  instructive 
and  eloquent. 

The  anniversary  services  were  held  in  "  Musi- 
cal Fund  Hall,"  the  spacious  auditorium 
crowded  to  its  full  capacity,  Hon.  Alexander 
Henry,  the  venerable  president  of  the  society,  in 
the  chair.  Professor  Bird  led  the  singing. 
Rev.  D.  M.  Reese,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  de- 
veloped the  principles  and  objects  of  the  society, 
and  made  an  earnest  plea  for  the  extension  of 
its  important  mission  in  behalf  of  our  neglected 
juvenile  population.  Addresses  were  also  de- 
livered by  Rev.  Dr.  Johns  of  Baltimore,  and  Wil- 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER    WORK.  177 

liam  Maxwell,  LL.D.,  president  of  Hampdeu 
Sydney  College,  Virginia. 

This  was  the  first  anniversary  I  had  the 
privilege  of  attending.  My  participation  was 
reported,  and  I  take  the  liberty  of  transcribing 
it.  "  Rev.  Mr.  Chidlaw,  who  has  been  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  society  for  many  years  in  the 
West,  with  great  force  and  eloquence  described 
the  field  of  his  labors,  the  peculiar  appropriat- 
ness  of  the  union  principle  to  the  present  state 
of  the  work,  and  the  imperious  necessity  there 
is  for  an  enlargement  of  our  efforts.  Mr.  Chid- 
law illustrated  his  views  by  some  very  graphic 
descriptions  of  scenes  which  have  passed  under 
his  own  eye." 

In  the  autumn  of  1845,  I  was  invited  by 
the  American  Sunday-School  Union  to  spend 
three  months  in  the  East.  Then,  the  journey 
was  easy,  and  performed  in  less  than  a 
week.  On  my  arrival  in  Philadelphia,  I 
reported  at  the  Depository,  and  was  kindly 
received  by  the  secretaries  and  other  officials, 
and  delighted  with  the  appearance  of  our 
headquarters.  The  next  day,  in  conference 
with  the  secretaries,  I  was  informed,  in  regard 
to  my  mission  ;  to  present  the  object  and  claims 
of  the  society,  giving  information  of  its  opera- 
tions, and  enlisting  material  aid  in  its  support. 

Entering  on  this  new  line  of  service,  I  felt  em- 
12 


178  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

barrassed  and  rather  discouraged.  Receiving 
further  instructions  and  encouragements,  I  left 
for  Boston. 

On  the  way,  I  was  to  spend  a  few  days  in 
New  York,  to  participate  in  the  anniversary 
meeting  of  the  Pearl  Street  Sunday-School  Mis- 
sionary Association — my  early  supporters  and 
kind  helpers  in  my  work  from  its  commence- 
ment. To  them  I  owe  my  introduction  to  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  and  for  many 
years  my  continuance  in  its  service.  My  so- 
journ, sharing  the  genial  hospitality  and  the 
society  of  these  esteemed  friends,  old  and 
young,  was  very  pleasant  and  helpful. 

On  the  steamer  "  Cleopatra"  we  had  a  boister- 
ous night  on  the  Sound,  weathered  the  storm, 
and  reached  Boston  in  safety.  I  found  my  way 
to  the  Depository,  No.  9,  Cornhill,  and  delivered 
my  letter  of  introduction  to  Rev.  W.  B.  Tappan, 
our  agent  there.  His  reception  was  very 
cordial,  a  rift  in  the  cloud  that  darkened  my 
sky,  and  a  solace  for  a  disturbed  mind  from 
which  I  was  suffering — a  stranger,  unknown, 
and  inexperienced  in  the  work  before  him. 
Brother  Tappan  introduced  me  to  several  min- 
isters and  laymen  engaged  in  Sunday-school 
work,  but  the  way  to  the  pulpit  and  the  Sun- 
day-school platform,  to  present  the  work  and 
needs  of  the  American  Sunday -School  Union,  I 


INCIDENTS   OF    WIDER    WORK.  179 

found  a  hard  road  to  travel,  and  I  was  much 
discouraged.  In  my  extremity,  after  repeated 
failures  to  obtain  a  hearing,  I  was  invited  to 
address  a  Sunday-school  meeting  in  "Spring 
Lane  Chapel "  of  the  Old  South  Congregational 
church  on  a  week  evening. 

I  found  a  fair  audience,  and  told  the  story  of 
my  missionary  experience,  showing  the  spiritual 
necessities  of  my  field,  the  adaptation  and  suc- 
cess of  our  labors  to  meet  those  necessities,  and 
appealed  for  aid.  The  next  day,  the  pastor, 
Rev.  G.  W.  Blagden,  D.  D.,  called  on  me  at  the 
Depository,  invited  me  to  tea,  and  to  lecture  in 
the  evening.  This  was  bright  sunshine  on  the 
hitherto  dark  landscape  in  the  city  of  Boston. 
After  my  lecture  on  a  gospel  theme,  the  kind 
pastor  said  :  "I  would  like  you  to  address  my 
people  in  Old  South  church  Sunday  afternoon, 
but  I  do  not  think  that  it  will  be  well,  then,  to 
apply  for  a  contribution  ;  yet,  I  hope  to  secure 
aid  for  your  work." 

In  Old  South  church,  beneath  the  sounding- 
board,  the  western  missionary  was  by  no  means 
at  home  in  the  presence  of  a  Boston  congrega- 
tion ;  but  looking  "  unto  the  hills,  from  whence 
cometh  my  help,"  I  delivered  my  message  with 
unexpected  freedom.  At  the  close,  Dr.  Blag- 
den,  who  was  with  me  in  the  pulpit,  said : 
"  Though  the  missionary  did  not  ask  for  a  con- 


180  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

tribution,  the  work  which  he  has  described 
makes  a  strong  appeal,  and  I  am  sure  you  are 
ready  to  cheer  him  and  aid  his  cause."  In  a  few 
minutes  the  society  was  enriched  in  a  liberal 
contribution,  and  for  many  years  "  Old  South," 
now  "New  Old  South,"  did  not,  in  its  benefac- 
tions, forget  the  American  Sunday-School  Union, 
and  its  important  mission  in  behalf  of  the  youth 
of  our  country. 

This  auspicious  beginning  was  followed  by 
similar  favors  from  Drs.  Kirk,  Stone,  Adams, 
and  Rev.  Edward  Beecher.  Invitations  to 
address  Sunday-schools  and  teachers'  meetings 
enlarged  my  field  of  labor  and  aided  me  in  my 
work.  During  my  two  months  in  Boston,  on 
week  evenings  I  was  invited  to  attend  meetings 
in  town  and  villages  outside,  where  I  was 
greeted  by  good  audiences,  and  received  gener- 
ous responses  through  the  collection  boxes;  free- 
will offerings  to  the  society  "  that  cares  for  the 
children." 

After  all  my  discouragements  and  the  difficul- 
ties encountered,  my  visit  to  Boston  and  vicin- 
ity was  far  from  a  failure.  I  made  many  friends, 
and  my  collections  far  exceeded  my  expecta- 
tions. During  this  visit,  through  the  kindness  of 
friends,  I  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  visiting  penal, 
reformatory,  and  charitable  institutions,  afford- 
ing me  much  valuable  information,  and  first 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  181 

interesting  me  in  a  line  of  work  congenial,  and, 
I  hope,  useful  for  the  rest  of  my  life. 

THE  EAST  RE-VISITED.  In  the  spring  of 
1849,  I  was  invited  to  attend  and  to  participate 
in  the  anniversary  meetings  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union  in  Boston,  New  York  and 
Philadelphia.  In  Boston,  the  anniversary  was 
held  in  Tremont  Temple,  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  and  appreciative  audience.  Gov.  Briggs 
presided,  and  made  the  opening  address,  show- 
ing his  knowledge  of  the  Sunday-school  enter- 
prize  and  of  its  mission  in  behalf  of  the  rising 
generation.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Dr.  God- 
dard  of  Philadelphia,  L.  B.  Tousley,  Esq.,  the 
childrens'  preacher  from  Western  New  York, 
and  the  western  missionary.  The  interest  in 
this  cultured  audience,  and  the  singing,  by  a 
choir  of  300  scholars,  reminded  me  of  some  of 
our  enthusiastic  grove-meetings  at  home. 

ON  THE  BOSTON  COMMON.  On  the  next 
day,  under  the  leadership  of  George  R.  Samp- 
son, Esq.,  a  grand  union  Sunday-school  celebra- 
tion was  held  on  the  Common.  Fifty-five 
schools  participated,  in  five  divisions,  assem- 
bling in  Tremont  Temple,  Park  street  church,  Mt. 
Vernon  church,  Bromfield  street  church  and  in  a 
hall,  eleven  schools  at  each  place.  Uniting  at  a 
designated  place,  escorted  by  a  band  of  music, 
the  procession  marched  to  the  platform  erected 


182  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

on  the  north  side  of  the  fountain.  It  was  esti- 
mated that  twelve  thousand  scholars  were  in 
line,  besides  an  equal  number  of  adults  sur- 
rounding this  grand  division  in  the  Sunday- 
school  army,  standing  a  solid  phalanx  near  the 
platform.  After  the  opening  prayer,  the  schol- 
ars, with  heart  and  voice,  rendered  the  hymn, 

"  God  bless  our  native  land  ! 
Firm  may  she  ever  stand 

Through  storm,  and  night,"  etc. 

From  the  platform,  this  sea  of  up-turned  faces, 
bright,  happy,  and  interested,  was  a  most  in- 
spiring spectacle,  and  a  severe  test  of  the  ability 
of  the  two  missionaries  of  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union  to  hold  the  attention  and  to 
interest  such  an  audience. 

IN  NEW  YORK.  The  New  York  Sunday- 
School  Union,  then  a  strong  and  vigorous 
organization,  held  its  celebrat'ion.  During  the 
day,  a  procession  of  over  one  hundred  schools 
with  twenty  thousand  scholars  and  teachers 
paraded  the  streets  with  banners  and  music, 
and  in  divisions  marched  to  several  of  the  large 
churches  and  to  Castle  Garden,  where  addresses 
were  delivered  and  refreshments  provided. 
This  was  a  wonderful  demonstration  of  the 
extent  and  importance  of  the  Sunday-school 
work  in  the  city,  the  faithful  and  successful 
labors  of  its  friends,  and  of  the  blessing  of  God. 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  183 

In  the  evening  the  National  Society  held  its 
anniversary  in  the  historic  "  Tabernacle,"  low 
down  in  Broadway  ;  forty  years  ago  the  religious 
centre  of  the  city,  if  not  of  the  Nation.  For 
many  years,  the  great  national  organizations 
in  the  interest  of  religion,  philanthropy,  and 
patriotism,  held  their  anniversaries  within  its 
sacred  walls,  and  on  its  platform  were  heard 
pleading  for  the  right,  and  the  true,  the  most 
eminent  and  eloquent  men  of  the  age. 

On  this  occasion,  with  a  crowded  house,  Rev. 
Dr.  Ferris,  whose  name  and  memory  are  yet 
fragrant  in  the  metropolis,  presiding,  three 
addresses  were  delivered,  and  a  series  of  reso- 
lutions favoring  the  mission  work  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union  enthusiastic- 
ally adopted. 

AGAIN  IN  PHILADELPHIA.  At  the  home  of 
the  National  Sunday-School  Union,  the  anni- 
versary services  for  1851  were  interesting  and 
well  attended.  On  the  Sunday  evening  pre- 
vious, Rev.  Dr.  Hutton,  of  New  York,  preached 
in  the  First  Presbyterian  church  an  excellent 
sermon  on  the  power  of  early  religious  culture 
to  save  our  youth,  and  to  bless  our  country. 

On  Tuesday  evening,  in  the  Music  Fund 
Hall,  the  anniversary  services  were  held,  Hon. 
Judge  Hall,  of  Delaware,  in  the  chair.  The 
secretary,  F.  A.  Packard,  Esq.,  read  an  abstract 


184  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

of  the  report,  showing  that  127  missionaries 
were  employed,  that  1394  new  schools  had  been 
established  during  the  year  in  twenty-three 
different  States  and  Territories.  They  dis- 
tributed by  sale  and  donation  $32,984  worth 
of  religious  publications,  in  communities  very 
destitute  of  such  literature.  The  income  of  the 
society  for  the  year  was  nearly  $35,000,  ex- 
pended in  benevolent  work,  the  publication 
department  being  self-supporting.  Addresses 
were  delivered  by  Mr.  Pilatte  of  France,  Dr. 
Tyng  of  New  York,  and  the  western  mis- 
sionary. 

Attending  these  anniversaries,  meeting  old 
friends,  and  making  new  ones,  my  heart  was 
strengthened  with  courage  and  faith.  I  was 
ready  to  return  to  my  field  and  resume  labor. 
With  increased  means  to  employ  missionaries, 
and  to  grant,  when  needed,  donations  of  books 
to  new  and  poor  schools,  an  advance  was  made 
in  our  work,  which  God  crowned  with  his  bless- 
ing. 

Helpers  in  My  Work.  From  1845  to  1860, 
my  time  was  divided,  generally  spending  a  part 
of  each  year  in  the  East  in  behalf  of  the  Ameri- 
can Sunday-School  Union,  and  the  rest  of  the 
year  in  the  West  in  missionary  and  revival 
work. 

My   winter  labors   in  the  East  were  made 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  185 

pleasant  and  effective  largely  through  the  as- 
sistance and  encouragement  of  friends.  In  New 
York,  Rev.  R.  B.  Campfield,  the  faithful  and 
energetic  agent  of  the  society,  rendered  me 
invaluable  aid.  The  benefit  of  his  experience 
and  knowledge  of  the  city  he  freely  imparted 
to  me,  which  I  always  found  beneficial  and 
helpful.  From  A.  P.  Halsey,  A.  R.  Wetmore, 
H.  A.  Kerr,  and  especially  Robert  Carter,  men 
whose  hearts  God  had  touched,  able  and  willing 
to  aid  a  stranger,  I  derived  not  only  kindness, 
but  real  help  in  time  of  need.  They  introduced 
me  to  Rev.  Drs.  McElroy,  Adams,  Hatfield, 
DeWitt,  Phillips  and  Hutton,  whose  confidence, 
sympathy,  and  endorsement  rendered  my  labors 
a  pleasure  and  a  success. 

In  Philadelphia  I  experienced  the  same  kind- 
ness and  help  from  the  secretaries,  F.  W.  Por- 
ter and  F.  A.  Packard,  and  the  managers  and 
officers  of  the  society.  My  brethren  in  the  min- 
istry, Revs.  Albert  Barnes,  Thomas  Brainard 
and  John  Chambers,  and  others  were  on  my 
side,  and  never  failed  to  help  the  western 
brother  when  he  applied.  Such  laymen  as 
Ambrose  White,  Matthew  Newkirk,  Abraham 
Martin  and  Geo.  H.  Stuart  held  up  my  feeble 
arms,  and  cheered  my  fainting  heart. 

Now,  after  the  lapse  of  all  these  years,  all 
these  good  and  noble  men,  my  efficient  and 


186  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

constant  helpers,  have  died,  beloved  in  the 
Lord. 

In  my  labors  East,  it  was  my  good  fortune 
occasionally  to  be  associated  with  Rev.  John 
McCullagh,  Stephen  Paxsoii  and  R.  G.  Pardee, 
true  yoke-fellows  in  all  departments  of  Sun- 
day-school work.  In  the  hills  of  Kentucky, 
the  prairies  of  Illinois,  in  the  mission-schools  in 
New  York,  and  in  the  valleys  of  Ohio,  we  were 
of  one  heart  and  of  one  mind,  gathering  the 
neglected  lambs  into  the  fold,  and  instructing 
them  in  the  truths  of  the  Bible.  So,  in  our 
going  in  and  coming  out  in  the  great  cities  of 
the  land,  we  united  our  efforts  to  advance 
the  interests  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union.  They,  also,  have  closed  the  work  they 
loved  and  served  so  well,  and  entered  the  rest 
that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God. 

REVIVALS  OF  RELIGION.  My  experience  in 
Wales  and  in  my  early  pastorate,  deeply  in- 
terested me  in  revival  work,  and  whenever  an 
opportunity  offered  and  my  duties  in  other  di- 
rections would  permit,  I  would  accept  the  invi- 
tations of  pastors,  or  from  vacant  churches,  to  as- 
sist in  holding  protracted  services,  praying  for 
and  expecting  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  reviving  his  people  and 
converting  sinners. 

In  one  of  my  visits  to  Granville,  Ohio,  in  be- 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  187 

half  of  the  Sunday-school  cause,  at  the  request 
of  the  pastor,  Rev.  Jacob  Little,  D.D.,  I  re- 
mained after  the  Sabbath  to  spend  a  few  days 
with  him  in  special  religious  services,  the  begin- 
ning of  a  precious  and  powerful  work  of  grace, 
resulting  in  the  hopeful  conversion  of  nearly 
one  hundred  souls. 

Granville  was  settled  by  a  colony  from  a  place 
of  the  same  name  in  Massachusetts.  Before 
leaving  their  old  home  they  were  constituted  a 
church,  a  body  of  believers,  covenanting  to  serve 
God  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  fellowship.  They 
came  in  wagons,  and  were  thirteen  weeks  on  the 
way. 

They  erected  a  house  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
school-house,  both  of  logs,  as  soon  as  they  were 
settled  in  the  unbroken  forests  of  Central  Ohio. 
They  prospered  in  the  world,  and  sustained 
every  good  word  and  work. 

On  the  Sabbath,  at  the  close  of  our  forenoon 
services  in  the  "  White  Meeting-house,"  as  the 
collectors  were  gathering  the  usual  offering  for 
the  American  Sunday-School  Union,  the  pastor, 
at  my  side  in  the  pulpit,  with  evident  emotion, 
said :  "  Brother  Chidlaw,  look  over  that  gal- 
lery filled  with  young  people.  Very  few  of  them 
are  converted.  Can  you  stay  a  few  days  and 
help  me  ?  I  believe  God  will  bless  us."  I  con- 
sented, and  the  pastor  announced  a  protracted 


188  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

meeting,  and  made  an  earnest  appeal  for  the 
church  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  re- 
move all  stumbling  blocks  out  of  the  way,  and 
make  a  new  consecration  to  meet  the  claims  of 
duty. 

The  next  day  several  persons  who  had  been 
at  variance,  called  on  the  pastor,  confessing 
their  sins,  and  were  ready  for  reconcilation.  Oth- 
ers, delinquent  in  religious  duties,  with  tears 
besought  Divine  forgiveness,  and  some  awak- 
ened souls  inquired  what  they  must  do  to  be 
saved.  The  good  work  progressed.  The  place 
of  prayer  was  crowded,  the  number  of  inquir- 
ers increased  day  by  day,  and  converts  testified 
of  the  grace  of  God,  and  besought  their  un- 
godly associates  to  seek  the  Lord  while  he 
might  be  found. 

At  a  conference  meeting,  a  man  in  middle 
life,  a  mechanic,  careless,  a  reputed  unbeliever, 
stood  up,  trembling,  and  said  :  "  I  am  the  last 
man  in  Granville  that  you  would  expect  to 
speak  in  such  a  presence.  God  has  aroused  my 
sinful  soul.  I  feel,  and  know,  that  I  am  a 
wretched  sinner.  Tell  me  how  my  soul  can  be 
saved  ?  "  Fervent  prayers  were  offered  in  his  be- 
half, and  he  was  instructed  and  encouraged, 
just  as  he  was,  a  trembling  penitent,  to  believe 
in  Christ,  and  trust  in  him  to  save  his  soul." 
The  guilty  penitent  sinner  found  pardon  and 


•• 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER    WORK.  189 

peace,  and  went  his  way  rejoicing.  Over  one 
hundred  attended  the  inquiry  meeting,  where 
they  were  wisely,  scripturally,  and  faithfully 
instructed,  and  their  difficulties  met  and  re- 
moved by  the  pastor  and  his  helpers  in  the 
eldership.  Very  little  excitement  attended  this 
blessed  work.  It  was  rather  marked  by  deep 
and  solemn  thoughtfulness. 

My  sojourn  of  ten  days  in  Granville,  amidst 
these  revival  scenes,  associated  with  the  pastor 
and  his  people  in  the  delightful  work,  still  ling- 
ers in  memory,  an  occasion  of  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  what  I  there  enjoyed. 

EMPLOYMENT,  1850-1860.  During  the  dec- 
ade from  1850  to!860  my  labors  when  in  my  field 
consisted  in  superintending  and  cooperating 
with  my  missionaries,  organizing  Sunday-schools 
and  supplying  them  with  books,  arranging  for 
and  participating  in  township,  county,  and  state 
Sunday-school  conventions,  corresponding  with 
contributors  to  the  funds  of  the  society,  attend- 
ing grove-meetings,  and  preaching  the  gospel. 
In  1859  the  record  of  my  labors  shows  that  I 
organized  and  aided  thirty  Sunday-schools, 
preached  eighty-four  sermons,  delivered  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  Sunday-school  addresses, 
travelled  11,700  miles,  collected  $2872.00 ;  sal- 
ary $1000,  expenses  $190.25,  including  one  trip 
io  the  East  and  my  expenses  there. 


190  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

IN  1855  A  DEPOSITORY  was  established  in 
Cincinnati,  where  all  the  publications  of  the 
society  could  be  found.  This  was  a  great  con- 
venience to  our  missionaries,  as  well  as  to  the 
Sunday-schools  that  wanted  to  replenish  their 
libraries,  or  secure  our  periodicals,  and  it  served 
as  our  head-quarters,  and  a  center  of  Sunday- 
school  work  and  workers. 

The  Fourth  of  July  Celebration.  For  many 
years  we  had  observed  this  national  day  in  our 
Sunday-schools.  Sometimes  several  schools 
would  unite,  and  celebrate  it  by  a  mass  meet- 
ing in  a  grove,  singing  patriotic  songs,  reading 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  followed  by 
patriotic  and  historic  addresses.  On  some  occa- 
sions, the  scholars  would  declaim  selected 
pieces  of  a  patriotic  and  religious  character,  our 
aim  being  to  educate  our  youth  in  the  history 
of  our  country — the  War  of  the  Revolution — 
the  establishment  of  our  Government — and  the 
way  God  was  blessing  us  as ,  a  nation.  Thus 
we  sought  to  implant  and  cherish  in  the  minds 
of  our  youth,  the  principles  of  pure  patriotism^* 
loyalty  to  God  and  to  the  country. 

A  SOLDIER  OF  THE  REVOLUTION.  In  1855  I 
was  invited  to  a  mixed  Celebration  to  be  held 
in  a  lovely  grove  near  Harrison,  Ohio,  ten  miles 
from  my  home.  The  citizens  and  the  Sunday- 
schools  were  to  combine,  and  a  large  gathering 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER- WORK.  191 

was  expected.  Half  way  between  my  home 
and  Harrison  lived  Jonas  Frazee,  born  in  1758 
at  Westfield,  New  Jersey,  a  soldier  in  the  revo- 
lutionary army,  the  last  of  those  noble  heroes 
living  in  this  community.  Early  in  this  cen- 
tury he  drifted  into  this  region,  a  dissipated, 
indolent,  godless  adventurer.  He  was  always 
poor,  and  lived  on  a  small  pension.  In  1839  he 
lived  in  a  cabin,  a  squatter  on  the  estate  of 
General  Harrison  at  North  Bend.  About  that 
time  a  revival  of  religion  blessed  the  community 
in  which  he  lived,  and  many  turned  unto  the 
Lord  and  united  with  his  people. 

This  old  soldier,  who  was  never  known  to 
cherish  any  regard  for  Christianity,  nor  any  inter- 
est in  his  own  salvation,  was  induced  to  attend 
preaching.  Soon  he  was  awakened  to  a  deep 
sense  of  his  sin,  and  to  feel  his  need  of  a  Saviour. 
Receiving  the  sympathy  of  religious  people,  and 
instruction,  with  encouragement  to  embrace 
Christianity  and  give  his  heart  to  God,  believing 
in  Christ  and  trusting  in  his  atoning  blood, 
the  aged  wanderer  returned  from  the  famine 
land,  found  his  Father's  house  and  a  cordial 
welcome.  In  due  time,  clothed,  and  in  his 
right  mind,  he  confessed  Christ,  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Cleves. 

When  under  conviction  and  seeking  salvation, 
in  conversing  with  me,  he  used  the  language  of  the 


192  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

shorter  catechism.  In  expressing  his  views  of  sin, 
he  repeated  the  exact  language  of  the  catechism. 
I  inquired  how  he  was  brought  up  in  his  youth. 

"  Well,  I  can  tell  you.  My  parents,  who 
lived  in  Westfield,  New  Jersey,  were  Presby- 
terians ;  and  I  had  to  learn  the  catechism  by 
heart,  and  once  a  month  our  pastor,  Rev.  Mr. 
Woodruff,  had  all  the  boys  and  girls  come  to  the 
meeting-house  and  say  the  catechism.  I  didn't 
like  it,  nor  understand  much  of  it,  but  now  it 
comes  up  in  my  mind."  Thus,  beneath  the  rub- 
bish of  three-score  and  ten  years  of  a  life  of  sin, 
in  the  time  of  his  need,  groping  for  the  light,  the 
Holy  Spirit  moving  his  soul,  these  truths,  lodged 
in  his  mind,  were  recalled,  understood,  and  be- 
lieved. So  the  old  veteran  was  converted,  and  in 
his  life  gave  credible  evidence  of  his  genuine  con- 
version, a  monument  of  the  abounding  grace  of. 
God,  and  the  value  of  early  religious  instruction) 

In  arranging  for  the  celebration,  knowing  the 
poverty  of  the  old  soldier,  supporting  his  infirm 
wife  and  an  invalid  daughter  on  his  small  pen- 
sion of  eighty  dollars  a  year,  I  thought  that  by 
going  a  little  out  of  my  way  I  could  take  the 
old  veteran  with  me  and  ask  the  congregation 
for  an  offering  to  cheer  his  heart  and  help  his 
larder.  Calling  at  the  door  of  his  cabin,  I  was 
told  by  his  wife  that  a  young  man  had  taken 
him.  Reaching  Harrison,  I  drove  him  in  my 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  193 

buggy  to  the  grove,  a  mile  from  the  village,  and 
took  him  with  me  to  the  platform,  in  front  of 
which  a  very  large  congregation  of  youth  and 
adults  had  assembled. 

After  singing  patriotic  hymns  by  the  six 
Sunday-schools  present,  reading  the  Scripture, 
and  prayer,  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  read,  followed  by  an  address.  The  audience 
was  becoming  restless,  and  many  had  left  their 
seats  and  were  in  groups  talking.  My  address 
to  the  Sunday-schools  was  to  be  in  the  after- 
noon. Fearing  that  the  audience  would  not  be 
as  large,  I  asked  permission  of  the  chairman  to 
say  a  few  words.  The  request  was  granted.  I 
then  asked  the  old  soldier  to  stand  up.  I  gave 
him  my  arm,  and  we  paraded  the  platform.  See- 
ing this  movement  aroused  the  audience,  and 
brought  the  wanderers  back  to  their  seats.  I 
then  made  my  appeal,  told  the  story  of  his  sol- 
dier life  in  the  revolutionary  army,  his  present 
poverty,  his  advanced  age,  bordering  on  one 
hundred  years,  and  that  I  wanted  a  generous 
offering  for  the  old  hero,  and  that,  hat  in  hand, 
I  would  pass  through  the  congregation.  Voices 
now  came  from  the  crowd,  "  You  speak  on.  We 
will  pass  the  hats."  They  did  so,  and  the  hats 
came  to  the  platform  with  $54  placed  in  the 
hands  of  a  good  man,  subject  to  the  order  of 
Mr.  Frazee  as  his  necessities  should  demand. 

13 


194  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

While  dining  with  him,  from  a  good  basket 
dinner,  I  inquired  if  he  had  received  a  land 
warrant  for  160  acres,  given  by  the  Government 
to  all  the  old  soldiers  of  the  Revolution.  He 
replied  that  he  had  not.  I  then  wrote  to  Hon. 
T.  Scott  Harrison,  our  representative  in  Con- 
gress, (the  honored  father  of  President  Benja- 
min Harrison).  Mr.  Harrison  knew  the  old 
soldier  personally,  promptly  attended  to  the 
matter,  and,  very  soon,  a  warrant  was  sent  to 
Mr.  Frazee.  He  was  nearly  blind,  too  old  and 
infirm  to  go  West  and  enter  the  laud ;  so  the 
warrant,  worth  $200,  was  exchanged  for  a 
dwelling  house  in  Miamitown,  a  village  near 
the  cabin  where  he  lived.  Thus,  in  the  last 
years  of  his  life,  he  lived  in  his  own  home,  a 
freeholder.  He  did  not  live  long  in  his  com- 
fortable house,  but  died  in  peace;  and,  at  his 
request,  was  buried  with  military  honors  in  the 
Berea  cemetery.  He  desired  that  I  should 
conduct  the  funeral  service. 

While  the  large  congregation  were  gathered 
around  the  grave,  and  ready  to  disperse,  a  friend 
came  to  me,  and  said :  "  One  thing  more  you 
should  do  for  the  old  veteran.  Ask  for  money  to 
erect  a  gravestone  over  his  remains."  I  did  so, 
and  one  hundred  dollars  was  secured,  and  with  it 
a  large  slab  of  pure  marble  with  a  suitable  inscrip- 
tion was  placed  at  the  head  of  his  honored  grave. 


INCIDENTS   OF   WIDER   WORK.  195 

Annually,  on  Decoration  Day,  patriotic  citi- 
zens, old  and  young,  visited  Berea  cemetery, 
decorating  with  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers 
the  graves  of  six  fallen  heroes  of  the  war  of  the 
rebellion,  two  of  the  war  of  1812,  laying,  with 
loving  hands,  their  tribute  of  flowers  on  the 
grave  of  Jonas  Frazee,  the  patriotic  soldier  of 
the  Revolution,  and  the  servant  of  God. 

COMMISSIONER  TO  THE  GENERAL  ASSEM- 
BLY. I  was  honored  several  times  by  my 
Presbytery  with  a  seat  in  our  General  Assem- 
bly while  the  Presbyterian  church  was  divided 
— once  after  the  reunion.  In  1851  I  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Assembly  in  session  at  Utica, 
New  York,  with  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley  of  Put- 
nam ville,  Indiana,  a  veteran  in  the  ministry,  to 
represent  the  Assembly  at  the  Congregational 
Association  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut, 
the  former  meeting  at  Waltham,  and  the  latter  at 
Bridgeport.  These  large  and  influential  ecclesias- 
tical bodies  gave  us  a  most  fraternal  reception. 

Our  addresses,  when  presented,  were  heard 
with  interest,  and  our  Christian  salutations 
kindly  received.  The  responses  showed  broth- 
erly sympathy  and  appreciation  of  the  stand 
taken  by  the  New  School  Presbyterian  church 
in  its  protest  against  American  slavery,  intem- 
perance, and  Sabbath  desecration.  They  re- 
joiced in  our  prosperity  and  aggressive  move- 


196  THE   STORY    OF    MY  LIFE. 

merits  in  the  work  of  home  and  foreign  evan- 
gelization. 

During  this  visit,  we  were  invited  to  hold 
meetings  in  prominent  churches  in  behalf  of  the 
interests  of  Christianity  in  the  West.  Brother 
Hawley  gave  his  experience  as  a  home  mission- 
ary and  a  pioneer  preacher  in  the  wilds  of  Indi- 
ana, always  delighting  his  hearers  and  arousing 
their  interest  in  his  field  and  work.  As  it 
could  not  well  be  otherwise,  my  theme  would 
be  the  missionary  work  of  the  American  Sun- 
day-School Union,  the  basis  of  its  operations, 
the  necessity  for  its  existence,  its  methods  of 
work  and  the  results,  illustrated  by  facts  and 
incidents  in  my  own  experience.  These  services 
we  greatly  enjoyed,  and  subsequently  we  found 
that  our  labors  had  not  been  in  vain ;  for  the 
sympathy,  prayers,  and  contributions  of  individ- 
uals and  churches,  aided  us  in  our  home  and 
Sunday-school  missionary  labors  on  our  re- 
spective fields. 

The  winter  of  1860-1,  I  spent  in  the  East, 
raising  funds  for  the  support  of  missionaries, 
and  to  secure  libraries  to  meet  the  demand  on 
my  western  field.  God  gave  me  favor  in  the 
eyes  of  the  people,  interest  was  excited  in  my 
mission,  and  generous  responses  followed  my 
appeals,  so  that  I  was  greatly  strengthened  in 
view  of  enlargement  and  success  in  my  work 
on  my  return  in  the  spring. 


INCIDENTS  OF    WIDER   WORK.  197 

While  East,  my  leisure  time  was  utilized, 
through  the  kindness  of  influential  friends,  in 
visiting  prisons,  juvenile  reformatories,  and 
various  charitable  institutions,  deepening  my 
interest  and  increasing  my  knowledge  of  the 
causes,  prevention,  and  cure  of  vice,  crime,  and 
pauperism,  information  I  found  valuable  and 
useful  in  my  subsequent  life.  The  authorities, 
understanding  and  appreciating  the  object  of 
my  visits,  gave  me  special  attention,  and  fre- 
quently, if  it  was  proper,  allowed  me  to  converse 
personally  with  the  prisoners,  and  to  hold  a 
religious  service. 

A  VISIT  TO  THE  TOMBS.  In  New  York  city, 
on  a  Sunday  morning,  accompanied  by  a  gen- 
tleman accustomed  to  holding  religious  services 
within  its  gloomy  walls  for  the  benefit  of  a 
large  and  heterogeneous  congregation,  I  was 
placed  in  a  novel  and  difficult  position.  Our 
chapel  was  the  area  enclosed  by  three  tiers  of 
cells.  Our  hearers  stood  on  the  corridor  in 
front  of -their  cells.  A  few  voices  united  in 
singing  an  old,  familiar  hymn.  During  prayer 
by  my  friend,  some  of  the  prisoners  were  con- 
versing together,  irreverent  and  indifferent. 
This  disorder,  in  view  of  the  duty  awaiting  me, 
was  anything  but  encouraging — it  was  a  real 
embarrassment. 

I  was  introduced  as   a  missionary  from  the 


198  THE    STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

West,  and  for  a  few  moments  enjoyed  the 
respectful  attention  of  my  peculiar  audience ; 
but,  soon,  they  relapsed,  and  became  noisy  and 
indifferent.  The  novelty  of  my  position,  and 
the  disturbing  element  with  which  I  was  con- 
tending, so  confused  me  that  I  told  my  friend 
that  I  could  not  continue  my  discourse.  He 
replied :  "  Tell  them  how  you  were  lost  in  the 
woods,  and  how  a  man  with  a  torch  helped  you 
out."  Leaving  my  sermon,  I  followed  his 
advice.  This  new  topic  at  once  secured  silence, 
and  gave  me  their  ears.  One  dark  night  in  the 
woods,  a  man  with  a  torch  of  hickory  bark 
found  me,  and  guided  me  home.  The  narrative 
secured  their  attention,  and  I  utilized  it  to  im- 
press them  with  their  lost  condition,  involved 
in  the  darkness  and  guilt  of  sin.  The  light  of 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  would  be  sufficient  to  lead  them 
to  a  good,  useful  life,  and  to  a  heavenly  home. 
To  the  close,  their  attention  was  unbroken,  and 
some  of  them  appeared  deeply  interested. 
Spending  an  hour  in  personal  conversation  with 
these  prisoners,  as  we  met  them  on  the  corridors 
or  in  their  cells,  we  found  seriousness,  and,  in 
some  cases,  anxiety  in  regard  to  their  spiritual 
welfare,  and  a  desire  to  become  religious,  and 
lead  better  lives. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHAPLAIN  IN   THE   AEMY. 

THE  WAR  CLOUD.  On  my  return  home, 
early  in  March,  1861,  with  cheering  pros- 
pects for  our  summer  work,  the  state  of  public 
affairs  sadly  interrupted  our  plans.  The  fall  of 
Fort  Sumter,  as  the  voice  of  thunder,  reached 
our  homes,  our  churches,  and  our  Sunday- 
schools,  and  thousands  of  our  officers,  teachers 
and  scholars  enthusiastically  responded  to  the 
call  for  volunteers  to  preserve  the  Union,  and 
to  save  the  life  of  the  nation  assailed  by  armed 
treason. 

Inclination  and  duty  led  me  to  follow  these 
brave  patriots,  who,  to  serve  God  and  country, 
hastened  to  the  tented  field,  soon  to  realize  the 
fearful  realities  of  war.  On  the  26th  of  April, 
I  made  my  way,  with  what  reading  matter  I 
could  gather,  to  a  camp  of  instruction  a  few 
miles  north  of  Cincinnati.  The  camp  was 
poorly  supplied  with  tents  or  barracks,  but  the 
weather  was  fine,  and  the  volunteers  cheerful 
and  busy,  and  were  drilling  and  extemporizing 

quarters. 

(199) 


200  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Captain  Erwin,  Company  E,  Guthrie  Grays, 
of  Cincinnati,  an  old  friend  and  a  servant  of 
God,  invited  me  to  mess  with  him  and  hold  a 
religious  service  in  the  evening.  As  the  shades 
of  night  gathered  around  us,  Captain  Erwin 
invited  his  company  to  assemble  for  a  religious 
meeting.  They  responded,  and  with  others 
made  a  good  congregation.  Standing  rever- 
ently on  the  green  sod,  several  hymns  were 
sung,  prayer  offered,  and  an  address  deliv- 
ered. The  captain  asked  the  audience  if  they 
desired  another  such  a  meeting.  "  Yes,"  was 
the  enthusiastic  response.  A  voice  was  heard, 
"  Three  cheers  for  Captain  Erwin  and  the 
preacher."  They  were  given  with  a  will,  and 
we  retired  for  rest,  on  a  bed  of  straw,  to  spend 
a  sleepless  night  in  thinking  of  the  impending 
storm  of  civil  war  and  its  terrible  realities. 

In  the  morning  I  returned  to  the  city,  secured 
hymn  books,  tracts  and  Testaments,  and  in  the 
afternoon  went  back  to  the  camp.  When  the 
troops  were  unemployed  I  mingled  freely  with 
them,  was  often  greeted  as  the  "  Sunday-school 
Missionary,"  and  the  avowal  that  many  were 
soldiers  of  the  cross,  doing  service  in  the  Sun- 
day-school army  as  officers,  teachers,  or  schol- 
ars. I  found  that  the  distribution  of  good  books 
and  religious  tracts  was  well  received  and 
useful. 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE    ARMY.  201 

Knowing  that  already  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  of  New  York  had  pub- 
lished a  "  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Hymn  Book," 
and  other  literature  adapted  for  circulation  in 
the  camp,  I  wrote  to  the  president  and  soon 
received  5000  hymn  books,  and  5000  copies  of 
*'  Something  for  the  Knapsack,"  a  very  useful 
manual  for  the  soldiers,  how  to  care  for  their 
souls  and  their  bodies,  to  serve  God  and  their 
country. 

Early  in  May,  General  McClellan  laid  out  a 
camp  on  a  beautiful  and  extended  plain,  on 
the  Little  Miami  river,  fifteen  miles  from  Cin- 
cinnati, where  barracks  were  provided  for 
10,000  soldiers.  Here  I  found  a  wide  and  invit- 
ing field,  and  all  the  facilities  and  encourage- 
ment I  could  desire  to  prosecute  my  religious 
work.  The  generous  supply  of  literature 
received  from  New  York  was  soon  exhausted, 
but  on  application  my  first  supply  was  duplica- 
ted from  the  same  source,  and  we  received  large 
supplies  from  the  American  Bible  Society,  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  and  the  Ameri- 
can Tract  Society. 

In  this  densely  populated  camp,  a  volunteer 
chaplain,  I  found  an  open  and  an  effectual  door 
for  pastoral  face  to  face  work,  and  for  preach- 
ing to  large,  intelligent,  and  appreciative  con- 
gregations, convened  in  the  open  air,  to  hear 


202  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  word,  and  to  honor  God.  As  the  ten  regi- 
ments were  organized,  several  of  them  had  chap- 
lains appointed,  who,  in'  love  and  faith,  under- 
took their  important  and  arduous  work,  and 
were  faithful  in  its  discharge. 

A  BIBLE  CLASS.  One  Sunday  afternoon, 
on  going  my  rounds  distributing  books,  I  came 
to  the  barracks  of  the  "  Oberlin  Rifles,"  Cap- 
tain Shertliff,  Seventh  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  D. 
Cox,  (afterwards  governor  of  Ohio,  and  an 
honored  citizen  of  Cincinnati).  Here  was  a 
Bible  class  numbering  forty,  and  half  of  them 
were  using  the  Greek  Testament.  It  was  a 
novel  and  grand  sight.  I  listened  to  the  exer- 
cise with  profound  interest  and  great  delight. 
These  Bible  scholars,  skilled  in  the  original 
text,  were  students  from  the  college  and  theo- 
logical seminary  at  Oberlin,  Ohio ;  Christian 
warriors,  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  truth, 
valiant  soldiers  of  the  cross,  true  confessors  of 
Jesus  Christ  on  the  tented  field  as  well  as  in 
the  quiet  of  their  academic  shades  at  Oberlin. 

An  order  from  General  McClellan  secured 
the  building  of  a  large  barrack  for  religious 
purposes,  where  we  had  our  head-quarters  and 
reading-room,  and  a  chapel  for  preaching  and 
Sunday-school.  In  June,  these  regiments  were 
ordered  to  West  Virginia,  leaving  the  camp 
nearly  deserted. 


CHAPLAIN    IN   THE    ARMY.  203 

In  July,  two  regiments  were  organized  and 
drilled  in  this  camp,  and  I  was  attracted  there 
again.  With  my  experience,  and  my  supply  of 
literature  not  quite  exhausted,  I  resumed  my 
volunteer  labors,  and  was  kindly  received  by 
officers  and  privates.  On  week  evenings  we 
had  prayer-meetings,  holding  a  Sunday-school, 
and  preaching  twice  on  Sunday.  I  found  a 
decided  and  strong  religious  element  in  these 
regiments,  officers  and  privates  in  large  num- 
bers being  the  avowed  disciples  of  Christ. 

In  one  of  these  regiments,  the  39th  Ohio  In- 
fantry, Colonel  John  Groesbeck  of  Cincinnati, 
Company  I  was  composed  largely  of  religious 
men  and  officers,  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  one-half  of  another  com- 
pany were  members  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
Marietta,  Ohio.  Early  in  August,  this  regiment 
was  ordered  to  Missouri.  At  our  last  service,  I 
had  a  large  audience  in  the  open  air,  and 
delivered  my  message  under  circumstances  of 
unusual  solemnity  and  interest,  commending 
them  to  the  aid,  guidance  and  protection  of  the 
God  of  the  armies  of  Israel  in  the  great  conflict 
awaiting  them,  and  exhorting  them  :  "  Be  strong 
and  of  a  good  courage,  fear  not,  nor  be  afraid 
of  them  :  for  the  Lord  thy  God,  he  it  is  that 
doth  go  with  thee :  he  will  not  fail  thee,  nor 
forsake  thee." — Deut.  31  :  6. 


204  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

On  leaving  the  camp  Monday  morning,  the 
colonel  invited  me  to  his  tent,  thanked  me  for 
my  services,  and  said : 

"  To  complete  our  regimental  organization  we 
need  a  chaplain.  Are  you  a  candidate  ?  " 

I  replied  that  I  was  not. 

"  We  have  several,  but  the  expressed  wish  of 
a  large  number  of  the  officers  and  privates  is 
that  you  should  be  our  chaplain." 

This  was,  on  my  part,  entirely  unexpected,  a 
real  surprise,  as  I  was  over  fifty  years  old,  and 
had  never  expected  to  enter  the  army.  I  told 
the  colonel  that  I  could  not  decide  at  once,  as 
it  was  such  a  serious  and  important  matter,  but 
I  would  take  it  under  careful,  prayerful  consid- 
eration, and  report  the  next  day.  In  my 
pleasant  home,  with  my  dear  wife  and  seven 
children,  we  talked  over  the  matter,  and 
together  bowed  at  the  family  altar,  and  with 
our  struggling  hearts  we  decided  that  father 
should  accept  the  appointment.  The  next  day 
I  received  my  commission  as  chaplain  of  the 
39th  Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteers,  O.  V.  I.,  960 
strong,  under  marching  orders  for  St.  Louis, 
Missouri.  Then,  the  State  of  Missouri  was 
trembling  in  the  balance  between  secession  and 
loyalty.  The  battle  of  Wilson  Creek  had  been 
fought,  a  heavy  loss  sustained,  and  the  brave 
patriot  hero,  General  Lyon,  had  been  killed. 


CHAPLAIN   IN    THE    ARMY.  205 

The  war  cloud  over  the  State  was  dark  and 
ominous  of  evil  times.  Under  these  circum- 
stances we  reached  the  distracted  State,  and 
encamped  in  O'Fallon's  grove,  near  the  Fair 
Grounds,  three  miles  from  St.  Louis.  In  a  few 
days  barracks  were  built,  and  our  camp  in  good 
order. 

WORSHIP  AT  DRESS  PARADE.  Enjoying  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  my  charge,  and 
anxious  to  establish  a  daily  religious  service, 
after  consultation  with  the  officers  and  many  of 
the  privates,  it  was  arranged  that  at  a  certain 
point  in  the  dress  parade  I  should  read  a  por- 
tion of  Scripture  and  offer  a  prayer.  In  front 
of  the  regiment  at  rest  the  colonel  introduced 
me,  and  endorsed  the  religious  service  I  was  to 
perform.  I  told  my  parishioners  in  blue,  that 
this  would  be  our  family  worship,  reminding  us 
of  our  homes  and  loved  ones,  our  duty  to  our 
God  and  country,  and  our  personal  homage  to 
the  Most  High,  supplicating  his  favor  and 
blessing  on  the  army  and  navy,  our  President 
and  our  Government,  and  the  speedy  and 
effectual  suppression  of  the  rebellion. 

SYSTEMATIZING  MY  LABORS.  The  religious 
element  in  my  regiment  being  strong  and  de- 
cided was  greatly  in  my  favor,  and  to  this  I  owe 
largely  my  success  and  pleasure  in  my  labors. 
We  had  a  Sunday-school  of  two  hundred  schol- 


206  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

ars,  a  weekly  prayer-meeting,  and  a  Christian 
Brotherhood  numbering  one  hundred  and  seven- 
ty-five :  our  motto  "  One  in  Christ,"  and  one 
object  "  to  love  God  and  serve  our  country." 
For  our  Sunday  and  public  service,  the  bugle 
sounded  the  church  call,  and  my  large  and  at- 
tentive congregation  would  march  to  the  plat- 
form, and  in  the  open  air  hear  my  message.  In 
my  pastoral  visitation  in  the  barracks,  I  was  al- 
ways well  received,  and  enjoyed  religious  con- 
versation. With  all  that  was  encouraging,  I 
frequently  encountered  indifference  to  divine 
and  eternal  things,  hardness  of  heart,  and  spirit- 
ual ignorance,  but  no  opposition  or  disrespect. 
All  my  parishioners  that  desired  a  Testament 
and  a  hymn  book  were  supplied. 

Our  camp,  well  appointed  in  every  way,  was 
named  "  Benton  Barracks,"  and  accommodated 
about  8000  troops  under  instruction,  mostly 
from  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois.  Finding  a 
regiment  without  a  chaplain,  after  my  service 
Sunday  morning,  I  asked  some  of  the  officers  if 
they  wished  to  have  a  religious  service.  My 
offer  was  accepted.  Several  of  my  good  singers 
accompanied  me.  Arriving  within  their  lines, 
we  saw  quite  a  crowd  witnessing  a  boxing 
match.  The  officer  provided  a  wagon  and  said  : 
"  Start  singing,  and  see  if  that  crowd  will  scat- 
ter." My  choir  at  once  made  a  break  in  the 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE   ARMY.  207 

crowd,  and  many  came  to  the  wagon.  Another 
hymn  largely  increased  my  audience,  and  after 
prayer,  the  boxing  ceased,  and  nearly  all  the 
crowd  became  my  hearers,  giving  heed  to 
my  teaching  concerning  their  duty  to  them- 
selves and  the  country  by  leading  pure,  honor- 
able, and  godly  lives.  An  officer  came  to  me, 
and  said :  "  I  approve  of  all  you  said,"  and 
coming  into  the  wagon  at  my  request,  he  made 
a  most  effective  address,  endorsing  with  empha- 
sis the  words  I  had  spoken.  Thus,  in  a  great 
military  encampment,  courage  and  prudence 
will  find  work  for  the  Master,  and  aid  and 
sympathy  when  least  expected. 

A  CALL  TO  HEAD-QUARTERS.  In  obedience 
to  an  order  from  General  S.  R.  Curtis,  I  report- 
ed at  once.  Ignorant  of  the  object  of  my  visit, 
I  felt  quite  concerned.  General  Curtis,  (after- 
wards the  hero  of  Pea  Ridge)  received  me  very 
cordially,  and  inquired  if  I  was  the  Sunday- 
school  missionary  he  had  met  years  ago  in  Ohio. 
"  Well  sir,  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  and  I  have  a 
favor  to  ask  of  you.  Last  Sunday  night  I  sat 
outside  and  distinctly  heard  some  one  preach- 
ing to  a  crowd  of  soldiers  in  the  artillery  camp, 
quite  a  distance  from  here.  I  inquired  who  it 
was,  and  was  informed  that  it  was  the  chap- 
lain of  the  39th  Ohio.  Next  Thursday  is  ap- 


208  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

pointed  by  President  Lincoln  as  a  day  of  humil- 
iation and  prayer  in  behalf  of  our  country  in 
the  time  of  our  need.  I  wish  you  to  preach  in 
the  amphitheater  on  the  fair  grounds,  and  you 
will  have  a  great  audience,  as  I  shall  issue  a 
special  order  that  all  the  troops  attend." 

I  accepted  the  invitation,  and  prepared  a  ser- 
mon on  these  words  of  Holy  Writ :  "  If  my 
people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall  hum- 
ble themselves,  and  pray,  and  seek  my  face,  and 
turn  from  their  wicked  ways ;  then  will  I  hear 
from  heaven,  and  will  forgive  their  sin  and  will 
heal  their  land."  2  Chronicles,  7  :  14. 

After  showing  that  we  are  a  people,  a  nation 
whose  God  is  the  Lord,  I  considered  the 
text  as  revealing  the  conditions  of  divine  de- 
liverance in  times  of  national  perils,  enumera- 
ting the  wicked  ways  from  which  we  must  turn 
— slavery,  intemperance,  Sabbath  desecration, 
and  forgetfulness  of  God  and  his  law — and  to 
do  this  by  humble  confession,  penitence  and 
prayer.  Then,  God  will  forgive  our  sins,  and 
heal  our  land,  our  army  will  be  victorious,  the 
Union  preserved,  and  the  Government  sustain- 
ed. Chaplain  Slander,  of  an  Illinois  regiment, 
offered  a  fervent  prayer,  and  we  closed  our  ser- 
vice, the  vast  assembly  uniting  in  the  follow- 
ing hymn,  to  the  tune  of  "  Old  Hundred :  " 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE   ARMY.  209 

"  O  Lord  of  Hosts  Almighty  King, 

Behold  the  sacrifice  we  bring  : 
To  every  arm  thy  strength  impart, 

Thy  Spirit  shed  through  every  heart. 
"  Wake  in  our  breasts  the  living  fire, 

The  holy  faith  that  warmed  our  sires : 
Thy  hand  hath  made  our  nation  free  ; 

To  die  for  her  is  serving  Thee. 
"  Be  Thou  a  pillared  flame  to  show 

The  midnight  snare,  and  silent  foe : 
And,  when  the  battle  thunders  loud, 

Still  guide  us  in  its  moving  cloud. 
"  God  of  all  nations,  Sovereign  Lord, 

In  thy  dread  name  we  draw  the  sword, 
We  lift  the  starry  flag  on  high, 

That  fills  with  light  our  stormy  sky. 
"  From  treason's  rent,  from  murder's  stain 

Guard  Thou  its  folds  till  peace  shall  reign , 
Till  fort  and  field,  till  shore  and  sea 

Join  one  loud  anthem  :  Praise  to  Thee." 

This  solemn  occasion,  standing  in  such  a  pres- 
ence, our  national  life  imperilled,  our  country  in 
the  throes  of  a  gigantic  rebellion,  and  the  hor- 
rors of  war  staring  us  in  the  face,  made  the  de- 
livery of  my  discourse  the  most  trying  and  im- 
portant effort  in  my  life  and  experience. 

ORDERED  TO  NORTHERN  MISSOURI.  After 
five  weeks  of  preparation  for  active  service, 
nine  companies  of  our  regiment  were  ordered 
to  guard  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joe  Railroad, 
and  to  protect  the  Union  people  in  that  part  of 
the  State.  One  company  was  left  with  the 

14 


210  THE    STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

regimental  property,  and  I  was  to  remain  and 
look  after  our  sick  soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  at 
St.  Louis.  I  found  thirty  of  them  in  three 
different  hospitals,  and  ministered  to  them 
daily.  Two  brothers  named  Barrows,  from 
Athens  county,  Ohio,  died.  Both  were  the 
friends  and  followers  of  Jesus,  resigned,  and 
prepared  to  depart.  In  two  weeks  the  sur- 
viving patients  were  able  to  return  to  our 
camp,  and  in  a  few  days  we  joined  the  regiment, 
now  divided  into  two  battalions,  one  at  Macon 
City,  and  the  other  at  Kansas  City,  protecting 
the  bridges,  capturing  bushwhackers,  and  sup- 
pressing rebellion.  This  breaking  up  of  the 
regiment  was  a  great  hindrance  in  my  labor, 
but  it  was  necessary  to  suppress  disloyalty,  and 
to  secure  peace  and  order  in  Northern  Missouri. 

In  the  early  days  of  December  we  were 
ordered  to  rendezvous  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri, 
where  we  united  with  a  force  of  1500  men  under 
General  Ben  Prentiss.  Thence  we  marched  to 
Lexington,  and  passed  through  a  fine  country, 
sadly  desolated  and  almost  depopulated.  The 
Union  people  had  to  flee,  and  as  the  Secession- 
ists were  in  the  rebel  army,  we  met  but  few 
men,  only  women  and  children,  none  of  whom 
suffered  any  harm,  but  received  good  at  our 
hands. 

Not  expecting  such  a  march,  our  officers  were 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE   ARMY.  211 

not  supplied  with  horses,  except  the  colonel  and 
surgeon.  For  several  days,  the  weather  being 
pleasant,  and  the  roads  good,  I  enjoyed  soldier- 
ing on  foot  with  my  comrades,  and  failed  not 
to  hold  a  religious  service  when  we  halted  for 
the  day  and  had  our  evening  mess.  The  sol- 
diers would  attend  in  large  numbers,  and  spend 
a  half  hour  in  singing,  prayer,  and  an  address. 
As  we  had  no  tents,  and  only  one  baggage 
wagon  for  transporting  our  baggage,  we  lay 
out  in  the  open  air,  a  blanket  our  bed  and  bed- 
ding, and  suffered  no  harm. 

THE  CHAPLAIN  GETS  A  HOESE.  One  morn- 
ing, as  we  were  leaving  camp,  a  Missouri  home 
guard  and  scout,  leading  a  horse,  came  to  me 
and  said  :  "  Chaplain,  it's  too  hard  on  a  preacher 
to  foot  it  all  day,  and  hold  meeting  at  night.  I 
have  a  horse  that  you  can  have." 

The  horse  looked  as  if  he  had  seen  service, 
without  a  bridle,  and  a  rough  old  saddle,  but  I 
thanked  the  soldier  for  his  kind  offer,  and 
inquired  how  he  could  spare  his  horse,  as  he  was 
a  scout. 

"Well,  Chaplain,  this  old  horse  belongs  to 
the  United  States.  I  sold  him  to  the  Govern- 
ment and  got  my  pay." 

"  If  you  let  me  have  him,  what  will  you  do 
for  a  horse  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  have  a  much  better  one." 


212  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  Did  you  jayhawk  him  ?  " 

"  No,  not  exactly.  A  '  Secesh*  was  taken 
trying  to  reach  the  rebel  army  under  Price.  I 
took  care  of  his  horse,  and  he  was  put  under 
guard.  Now,  Chaplain,  don't  stand  on  cere- 
mony, but  take  the  horse." 

"  What  will  I  do  for  a  bridle  ?  " 

"  Well,  I'll  give  you  a  head  stall,  and  a  piece 
of  that  rope  around  your  blanket  will  make  a 
rein." 

Thus  equipped,  as  I  was  about  to  mount  uiy 
steed,  an  officer  congratulated  me  on  my  good 
fortune,  but  said,  after  he  had  examined  the 
saddle : 

"  Chaplain,  you  must  turn  this  saddle  about," 
and  he  adjusted  it  to  his  notion.  I  mounted, 
but  found  a  very  uncomfortable  seat,  arid  had 
to  dismount  and  restore  the  saddle  as  my  friend 
who  had  furnished  the  horse  had  arranged  it. 
Then  it  was  all  right.  During  the  forenoon,  as 
I  rode  along,  the  soldiers  cheered  me  on  my 
elevation,  and  I  enjoyed  the  improvement  in  my 
style  of  marching. 

At  noon  our  quarter-master,  riding  a  fine 
horse  well  equipped,  said  : 

"  Chaplain,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  on  horse- 
back, but  I  want  your  horse.  Our  baggage 
wagon  is  fast  in  a  mud  hole,  and  this  horse  that 


CHAPLAIN    IN   THE   ARMY.  213 

I  took  from  a  red-hot,  abusive  '  Secesh,'  won't 
pull  a  pound,  and  yours  will." 

So  the  exchange  was  made,  greatly  to  my 
advantage.  I  inquired  in  the  evening  how 
matters  stood  between  the  quartermaster  and 
the  owner  of  the  horse.  He  replied  : 

"  As  in  all  cases,  when  I  take  property  for 
the  use  of  the  army,  I  give  a  voucher,  and 
the  value  of  the  property,  and  if  the  owner 
can  prove  that  he  is  a  Union  man,  and  not  an 
abettor  of  secession,  he  will  get  his  pay." 

When  we  ended  our  march  I  delivered  the 
horse  to  our  obliging  quartermaster,  and  thanked 
the  Missouri  scout  for  his  kindness. 

WINTER  QUARTERS.  One  battalion  was 
ordered  to  Sedalia,  and  the  other  to  Palmyra, 
Missouri,  where  we  remained  from  January  1st 
to  March  1st,  when  we  were  ordered  to  St. 
Louis,  en-route  south.  In  Palmyra,  with  450 
men  and  officers,  and  the  3rd  Missouri  Infantry, 
with  a  company  of  Home  Guards,  I  enjoyed 
special  facilities  for  my  work.  A  large  church 
building  was  at  my  disposal,  and  I  had  a  good 
supply  of  literature.  A  deserted  dwelling  was 
allotted  to  me,  the  surgeon  and  hospital  stew- 
ard, both  earnest  Christian  men,  excellent  com- 
panions. The  soldiers  were  quartered  in  vacant 
business  houses.  Our  religious  services  were 
held  regularly,  well  attended,  and  of  consider- 


214  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

able  interest.     Backsliders  were  reclaimed  and 
several  were  converted. 

I  received  from  the  East  300  volumes  of 
choice  books.  This  was  my  circulating  library, 
and  it  was  well  used.  A  lady  in  Buffalo,  New 
York,  sent  me  a  large  supply  of  stationery  and 
postage  stamps  "  to  encourage  your  soldiers  to 
write  home."  This  was  a  thoughtful  and 
appreciated  gift,  and  in  two  months  the  occa- 
sion of  writing  over  four  hundred  letters.  The 
Missouri  troops  and  Home  Guards  shared  these 
benefactions,  ;md  were  very  thankful.  Our 
general  hospital  had  an  average  of  forty 
patients  daily,  well  cared  for.  My  gospel  min- 
istrations these  sufferers  were  delighted  to 
enjoy.  Several  deaths  occurred,  and  we  always 
gave  the  brave  men  a  Christian  burial,  accom- 
panied with  military  honors. 

A  Military  Commission  over  which  Colonel 
Groesbeck  presided,  was  held  at  Palmyra, 
Missouri,  for  the  trial  of  bridge  burners,  bush- 
whackers, murderers  and  violators  of  United 
States  laws.  Some  were  acquitted,  and  dis- 
charged under  heavy  bonds  to  keep  the  peace. 
Thirteen  were  sent  to  St.  Louis  as  prisoners  of 
war,  and  eight  sentenced  to  be  shot. 

In  regard  to  the  latter  I  received  the  follow- 
ing official  communication  from  General  Pren- 
tiss,  commanding  the  jpost. 


CHAPLAIN    IN   THE    ARMY.  215 

"  Chaplain  Chidhvw,  39th  O.  V.  I.  Sir.— The  following 
eight  prisoners,"  (giving  their  names  and  place  of  confine- 
ment) "  have  been  sentenced  to  be  shot.  Your  kind  offices 
are  invited  in  their  behalf." 

I  found  them  in  the  guard-house  occupying 
separate  cells,  and  made  their  personal  acquaint- 
ance, and  conversed  freely  with  those  that  were 
interested  in  religion.  Six  of  them  were  young 
men,  hardened  and  reckless ;  the  other  two  pro- 
fessed to  be  religious,  and  to  repent  of  their 
sins,  trusting  in  Jesus  Christ.  As  the  day  of 
doom  was  approaching,  four  of  the  six  became 
concerned  about  the  future  life,  and  gave  heed 
to  my  instructions,  and  asked  for  prayer  in  their 
behalf.  The  day  before  they  were  to  be  shot, 
a  telegram  from  the  War  Department  announced 
that  President  Lincoln  had  commuted  their 
sentence  to  life  imprisonment  in  the  Illinois 
State  Prison  at  Alton.  The  prisoners  received 
this  intelligence  with  quiet  joy,  and  sincere 
thanks  to  the  President  for  his  clemency. 

SICKNESS.  In  the  midst  of  my  labors,  cheer- 
ed and  encouraged  by  evidences  of  social  and 
religious  improvement  among  the  soldiers,  my 
health  gave  way,  my  appetite  failed,  and  I 
suffered  great  prostration.  For  a  week  I  was 
confined  to  my  quarters,  under  treatment,  and 
kindly  nursed.  Just  as  I  was  so  far  recovered 
as  to  leave  my  quarters,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  St.  Louis,  en  route  for  the  south. 


216  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

The  order  served  as  a  stimulant,  and  I  was  able 
to  undertake  the  journey.  Arriving  at  the 
city,  we  were  ordered  to  Camp  Benton,  our  old 
encampment,  but  my  condition  was  such  that 
our  surgeon  thought  that  I  would  do  well  to  go 
to  a  hotel.  The  colonel  gave  me  permission, 
and  detailed  a  soldier  to  go  with  me. 

AT  HOME.  I  remained  in  the  hotel  several 
days,  gradually  improving.  The  regiment  left 
for  New  Madrid,  but  I  was  advised  not  to  leave, 
the  surgeon  so  directing.  Colonel  Groesbeck 
gave  me  a  furlough  for  forty  days,  and  General 
Halleck  a  pass  to  leave  the  city ;  and,  on  a  mat- 
ress  in  the  baggage  car  on  the  Ohio  and  Miss- 
issippi railroad,  I  reached  North  Bend,  three 
miles  from  my  home.  Not  being  expected,  as  I 
had  not  informed  my  family  of  my  illness,  hop- 
ing soon  to  recover,  and  not  wishing  to  alarm 
them,  no  one  met  me  there;  but  I  secured  a 
farm  wagon,  and  reached  my  loved  ones  none 
the  worse  for  my  journey. 

Under  medical  treatment  and  good  nursing 
at  home  my  health  gradually  improved,  so  that 
I  could  go  to  Cincinnati  and  have  a  consulta- 
tion with  experienced  surgeons.  I  was  advised 
to  apply  for  a  renewal  of  my  furlough,  which 
was  granted.  Suffering  relapses  and  no  gain  of 
strength,  I  was  led,  with  great  reluctance,  to 
tender  my  resignation  as  chaplain,  assigning 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE    ARMY.  217 

the   reason.     After  accepting  my  resignation, 
the  following  communication  was  sent  to  me: 

"  Head-quarters  39th  O.V.  I.  ] 

Camp,  near  Corinth  Miss.      >• 

May  14,  1862.      j 

"On  the  acceptance  of  the  resignation  of  Rev.  B.  W. 
Chidlaw,  Chaplain  39th  O.  V.  I.,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  draft  a  resolution  expressing  the  feelings  of  the  officers, 
and  reported  as  follows  : 

"'Resolved,  That  we  have  learned  with  deep  regret,  that 
Mr.  Chidlaw  has  been  compelled,  from  ill-health,  to  resign 
the  office  of  chaplain  of  this  regiment;  that,  while  in  defer- 
ence to  his  wishes  we  accept  the  resignation,  it  is  with 
unfeigned  regret  that  we  part  with  one  who  has  always 
been  faithful  in  his  duties,  zealous  for  the  good  of  the  regi- 
ment, kind  to  the  sick,  useful  in  all  his  ministrations,  and 
universally  respected  and  beloved  as  an  officer,  a  gentleman, 
and  a  Christian  patriot.' 

"  This  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted. 

"A.  W.  Gilbert, 

Lieut.  Col.  Commanding." 

Thus,  in  the  providence  of  God,  in  less  than 
a  year  of  service  for  God  and  country,  as 
preacher  and  pastor  in  that  heroic  regiment,  my 
labors  terminated.  That  service  was  a  great 
privilege,  enriching  my  own  religious  life,  broad- 
ening my  ideas  of  life,  its  duties  and  oppor- 
tunities, and  a  revelation  of  the  superlative 
value  of  Christianity  in  its  blessings  amid  the 
horrors  of  war. 

Home  from  the  War.  On  July  6,  1865,  hearing 
that  my  grand  old  regiment,  at  least  the  frag- 
ments that  remained  after  the  casualties  of  the 
hard  fought  battles  in  which  they  had  been  en- 


218  THE   STOEY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

gaged  and  the  loss  of  life  in  hospitals,  was  en- 
camped near  Louisville,  Kentucky,  to  be  mus- 
tered out,  I  determined  to  visit  them.  The  next 
day  I  reached  their  camp,  and  met  a  royal  re- 
ception, officers  and  privates  greeting  the  old 
chaplain  with  a  welcome  that  was  enthusiastic 
and  delightful. 

After  mess  with  the  colonel  and  other  offi- 
cers, I  was  invited  to  officiate  as  of  old  at  dress 
parade.  Instead  of  nearly  a  thousand  men  in 
line,  they  numbered  scarcely  four  hundred  bat- 
tle-scarred heroes.  In  the  evening,  a  large  crowd 
of  the  39th  and  27th  regiments  assembled  in 
front  of  head-quarters,  and  I  addressed  them  on 
the  past,  and  the  present  bright  prospects  of  our 
country  in  whose  behalf  they  had  endured  hard- 
ship as  good  soldiers  and  patriotic  citizens.  At 
the  close,  their  hearty  cheers  made  the  welkin 
ring.  But,  as  I  heard  those  joyous  voices,  loud 
and  clear,  my  heart  was  filled  with  emotions  of 
sorrow  and  sadness  at  the  thought  that  more 
than  half  of  the  volunteers  of  1861  were  number- 
ed with  the  dead,  or  suffering  from  disabilities 
incident  to  the  life  of  a  soldier  in  active  ser- 
vice. Such  are  the  evils  and  woes  of  war,  from 
which  may  God  in  mercy  ever  deliver  our  now 
great  and  prosperous  nation,  whose  existence 
these  sacrificed  lives  helped  to  save  ! 

CALLED  TO  THE  EAST.     When  sufficiently  re- 


CHAPLAIN   IN   THE   ARMY.  219 

covered,  I  accepted  an  invitation  from  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union  to  visit  some  of 
the  eastern  cities  in  its  behalf.  My  old  friends 
received  me  with  great  cordiality,  heard  my 
plea,  and  responded  with  a  cheerful  and  gener- 
ous liberality.  During  six  weeks,  I  preached 
four  times,  made  thirty -two  Sunday-school  ad- 
dresses, and  told  my  experience  in  the  camps 
and  hospitals  thirteen  times. 

At  the  Depository  of  the  society  in  Philadel- 
phia, I  saw  a  publication  with  a  sweet  and  signi- 
ficant title,  •"  The  Silent  Comforter  "  and  felt  at 
once  that  it  was  just  the  thing  to  hang  up  in  the 
hospital  wards,  that  the  sufferers  might  read 
God's  living  messages  of  consolation  and  grace 
as  they  lay  on  their  cots  or  sat  on  their  camp 
stools.  Friends  provided  the  means,  and  two 
hundred  copies  of  the  "  Silent  Comforter  "  were 
sent  to  the  United  States  hospitals  at  the  front 
and  in  the  rear. 

An  incident  will  illustrate  the  value  of  such 
a  publication,  and  its  fitness  to  bring  cheer  and 
relief  to  the  sick  and  dying  soldiers  in  the  hos- 
pital. In  Tennessee,  in  1863,  in  a  hospital,  I 
met  one  of  my  old  soldiers,  who  referring  to  the 
"  Silent  Comforter  "  hanging  on  the  wall,  said  : 
"  Chaplain,  when  I  was  sick  in  an  old  tobacco 
warehouse,  the  only  thing  to  occupy  my  mind 
was  counting  the  bricks  in  the  unplastered  wall. 


220  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Here  I  can  feast  my  eyes  as  I  look  on  the  '  Si- 
lent Comforter,'  reading  the  precious  promises 
of  God  that  fill  my  soul  with  peace,  and  this 
helps  me  to  get  well." 

During  the  war,  thousands  of  the  "  Silent 
Comforter,"  and  the  "  Green  Pastures  "  found 
their  way  into  our  hospitals,  instructing  and 
consoling  our  brave  sufferers,  shedding  light, 
joy,  and  peace  on  troubled  and  anxious  hearts, 
languishing  and  burdened.  A  scriptural  text 
is  food  for  the  soul,  whether  in  a  palace  or  a 
hospital.  Sick  or  well,  it  is  healing  and  refresh- 
ing, light  in  the  hour  of  darkness,  and  strength 
to  fainting  souls. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SANITARY  AND   CHRISTIAN  COMMISSION  WORK. 

THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION.  My  sojourn  in 
the  East  improved  my  health,  and  I  re- 
turned home  with  increased  strength  and  vig- 
or. Early  in  November,  1862,  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  of  Cincinnati  re- 
ceived information  that  its  humane  aid  was 
greatly  needed  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  some 
2000  victims  of  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Union 
and  Confederate  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  I 
was  invited  by  the  commission  to  go  in  a  vol- 
unteer mission  in  charge  of  supplies  for  the 
hospitals  at  Lebanon  and  Perryville.  I  accept- 
ed the  invitation,  and  left  the  next  day  on  a 
steamboat  for  Louisville,  with  twenty-eight 
large  boxes,  several  packages  and  two  barrels, 
well  filled  with  sanitary  goods  and  supplies  for 
the  hospitals,  and  $200  for  expenses  and  to 
purchase  any  additional  supplies  that  might  be 
needed. 

After  some  delay  in  loading  the  car  at  Louis- 
ville with  my  goods,  I  reached  Lebanon  the 
next  day,  and  was  kindly  received  by  Surgeon 

(221) 


222  THE   STORY  OF   MY   LIFE. 

McDumont,  medical  director.  A  store-room 
was  provided  for  the  goods,  and  two  men 
were  detailed  to  aid  me  in  the  distribution  of 
these  supplies.  Here  I  found  twelve  wards — 
churches,  school-houses,  stores  and  large  private 
dwellings — used  for  hospitals.  After  opening 
the  boxes  and  arranging  their  contents,  woolen 
and  cotton  underclothes,  shirts,  socks,  towels, 
handkerchiefs,  dried  and  canned  fruit,  jellies, 
blackberry  wine,  etc.,  I  invited  a  surgeon  to 
examine  them  and  instruct  me  how  best  to  con- 
nect the  demand  and  supply.  My  first  visit 
was  to  a  large  church  building,  where  I  found 
seventy  patients,  on  cots,  or  straw-beds  on  the 
floor.  The  sight  of  these  sufferers  was  very 
depressing  to  me,  but  the  hope  of  cheering  and 
aiding  them  came  to  my  relief,  and  I  entered 
upon  the  work  of  inspection.  Some  were  not 
in  need  of  the  good  things  at  our  disposal, 
others  needed  our  ministry  in  the  gospel  of 
clean  clothes,  and  others  would  be  benefited  by 
our  delicacies.  Noting  their  wants  and  the 
number  of  their  bed,  we  would  return  to  our 
store-room,  select  the  articles  and  deliver  them. 
After  my  good  Samaritan  labors,  I  would  hold  a 
religious  service,  which  the  sufferers  appeared 
to  enjoy. 

After    spending    two   busy   days   supplying 
these  hospitals,  we  packed  the  goods  left  and  in 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  223 

two  ambulances  we  were  taken  eighteen  miles 
to  Perryville.  Here  Dr.  Pierson  provided  the 
facilities  needed  for  the  prosecution  of  our 
mission.  This  town  was  near  the  battle-field, 
and  the  severely  wounded  were  here,  in  ten  wards 
— churches,  court-house,  stores  and  dwelling 
houses — very  much  crowded,  poorly  furnished, 
and  in  need  of  the  supplies  we  still  had  on 
hand.  Following  the  same  method  of  distribu- 
tion, our  supplies  were  quite  inadequate  to  meet 
the  pressing  wants  of  these  brave  sufferers ; 
but,  in  our  emergency,  the  Cleveland  society 
sent  a  large  supply  of  goods  and  delicacies, 
filling  our  hearts,  so  that  we  continued  our 
visitation  and  distribution  with  energy  and 
pleasure. 

The  AntiocJi  Meeting-house.  A  hewed  log 
building  near  the  battle-field,  had  fifty  severely 
wounded  men,  most  of  them  on  straw-beds,  and 
knapsacks  for  pillows.  The  goods  we  brought 
and  the  delicacies  were  not  sufficient  to  meet 
the  wants  of  these  brave  sufferers.  The  under- 
clothing and  shirts,  the  towels  and  handkerchiefs 
were  in  great  demand,  and  thankfully  received. 
The  jellies,  fruits,  and  blackberry  wine,  we 
gave  to  those  who  needed  them  the  most,  as 
directed  by  the  surgeon.  Having  exhausted 
our  stock,  we  promised  to  send  a  supply  from 


224  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Perryville,  and  that  all  should  share  these  home 
gifts  for  their  cheer  and  healing. 

Here  I  found  several  of  these  men  brethren 
in  Christ,  and  while  partakers  of  suffering, 
they  were  enjoying  the  peace  of  God  and  the 
hope  of  salvation.  I  read  the  23d  Psalm  and 
prayed,  asking  God  to  grant  each  sufferer  the 
grace  he  needed,  and  a  speedy  restoration.  A 
young  soldier  whose  leg  had  been  amputated 
and  who  had  received  of  our  goods,  said  : 

"  These  clean  clothes  make  me  feel  good," 
and  holding  in  his  hand  a  nice  white  pocket 
handkerchief,  added:  "This  will  be  a  great 
improvement  on  that  dirty  rag  I  have  been 
using  so  long." 

On  my  return  to  Perryville,  the  goods  need- 
ed for  Antioch  were  packed  and  forwarded  at 
once. 

United  in  Death.  On  our  return  from  Antioch 
chapel,  deeply  impressed  with  what  we  had 
witnessed  within  its  log  walls,  we  passed  over 
the  battle-field  where  the  carnage  had  been  very 
great ;  where  a  few  days  before,  hundreds  of 
precious  lives  were  offered  on  the  altar  of 
patriotism,  and  their  bodies  buried  beneath  its 
blood-crimsoned  soil,  and  saw  a  trench,  a  long 
line  of  graves  marked  with  head  boards.  Two 
of  these  were  united  by  a  piece  of  dove-colored 
ammunition  box,  with  this  inscription  in  fair  and 


SANITARY   COMMISSION  WORK.  225 

legible  letters :  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart; 
for  they  shall  see  God."  Evidently  a  tribute  to 
fallen  comrades,  an  expression  of  their  char- 
acter and  future  destiny,  a  perishable  monu- 
ment to  the  memory  of  the  pure  in  heart,  who 
will  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance.  This 
simple  memorial  enchained  my  eyes,  and  moved 
my  soul.  Save  the  inscription,  all  was  profound 
mystery,  but  the  record  told  of  brotherly 
confidence  and  love,  and  of  kindred  minds  in 
the  service  of  God  separated  now,  but  destined 
to  a  glorious  and  eternal  reunion. 

"I  WANT  TO  BE  MUSTEBED  IN."  On  the 
streets  of  Perryville  as  I  was  on  my  visitation 
to  the  hospitals,  a  soldier  accosted  me : 

"  A  fellow  in  the  ball-room  of  the  tavern 
(now  a  ward  of  Hospital  No.  6),  wants  to  see 
you." 

I  found  him  on  a  bed  of  straw  we  had  pro- 
vided for  him  the  day  before,  when  we  supplied 
him  with  clean  underclothing.  He  had  been 
severely  wounded,  was  very  weak,  but  cheerful 
and  uncomplaining.  I  inquired  how  he  felt. 

"  Oh,  Chaplain,  I  feel  much  better,  and  more 
comfortable  since  you  fixed  me  so  nicely  yes- 
terday ;  but,  after  your  talk  about  our  duty  to 
God,  I  have  been  in  trouble  of  mind.  I  have 
for  years  loved  Jesus  Christ,  and  trusted  in  him 
for  my  salvation,  but  I  have  never  confessed 

15 


226  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

him  before  men,  or  united  with  the  church. 
Now,  I  want  you  to  muster  me  in,  to  baptize 
me  and  take  me  into  the  church." 

I  was  delighted  with  his  statement  and  pur- 
pose, and  so  expressed  myself  to  him  and  his 
twelve  companions  in  suffering,  as  with  eager 
interest  they  had  heard  his  confession.  I  said 
to  him  :  "  When  you  are  so  far  recovered  that 
you  can  go  home,  you  will  get  a  furlough,  and 
it  will  be  a  very  proper  thing  for  you  to  confess 
Christ  and  unite  with  his  church,  and  take  your 
place  in  the  ranks,  a  true  and  faithful  soldier  of 
the  cross." 

"  As  soon  as  I  am  able,  I  want  to  join  my 
regiment,  and  help  put  down  the  rebellion. 
And  now,  Chaplain,  I  want  you  to  baptize  me, 
and  muster  me  into  the  army  of  the  Lord,  that 
I  may  fight  the  fight  of  faith.  I  want  to  live 
and  die  a  Christian." 

"  What  church  do  you  wish  to  join  ?  " 

"  I  just  want  to  join  the  church  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  died  for  my  sins,  and  is  my  Sav- 
iour." 

I  asked  him  about  his  knowledge  and  experi- 
ence in  religious  things. 

He  said :  "  I  always  went  to  Sunday-school, 
read  the  Bible,  and  attended  preaching,  and 
often  felt  that  I  ought  to  join  the  church." 

I  remembered  an  apostolical  precedent,  and 


SANITARY   COMMISSION  WORK.  227 

followed  it  (Acts  8 :  37).  I  asked  a  nurse,  an  in- 
terested spectator,  if  he  would  bring  some  water. 
He  complied,  and  brought  water  in  a  dingy  tin 
dish.  I  addressed  the  new  recruit,  helpless  on 
his  straw-bed,  to  be  true  and  faithful  in  his  re- 
ligious life,  loyal  to  his  new  commander,  assur- 
ed of  rations  and  pay,  grace  according  to  his 
day,  and  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 
The  nurse  holding  the  dish,  we  kneeled  at  his 
side,  and  I  baptized  him  with  water,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  gave  him  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship,  welcoming  a  poor  sinner  saved  by 
grace  into  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

I  was  moved  to  exhort  his  comrades  to  follow 
his  example,  "giving  themselves  first  to  the 
Lord,  then  to  his  people  according  to  his  will." 
Several  of  them  were  in  tears,  evidently  im- 
pressed. 

As  I  was  passing  out,  a  soldier  prostrate  on 
the  floor,  having  suffered  the  loss  of  an  arm, 
calling  me  to  his  side,  said  :  "  I  am  a  deserter. 
Years  ago  in  Indiana  I  professed  religion,  and 
was  a  church  member,  but  I  broke  ranks  and 
deserted  into  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  and  lived 
a  wicked  life.  I  did  wrong,  and  I  feel  it.  I 
believe  in  the  Son  of  God,  and  trust  in  him  for 
salvation.  Will  you  muster  me  in  ?  " 

I  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  seriousness 


228  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

and  sincerity  of  this  deserter.  On  his  confes- 
sion and  application,  I  gave  him  the  right  hand 
of  Christian  fellowship,  and  mustered  him  into 
the  sacramental  host,  a  soldier  for  life  under  the 
blood-stained  banner  of  the  cross,  commending 
him,  and  all  that  love  Christ,  to  the  abounding 
grace  of  God  *'  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy." 
Two  others  in  this  group  of  sufferers  avowed 
themselves  the  followers  of  the  Good  Shepherd, 
and  were  enjoying  the  "green  pastures"  and 
the  "  still  waters,"  where  he  ever  leads  those 
that  know  his  voice,  and  follow  him. 

This  upper  chamber,  where  formerly  the 
lovers  of  mirth  and  folly  had  their  dances,  now 
a  hospital  ward  with  thirteen  brave  sufferers 
on  its  oaken  floor,  by  reason  of  the  presence  of 
God  became  a  Bethel ;  and,  to  some  of  us,  as  the 
gate  of  heaven.  The  experience  of  this  hour 
in  a  military  hospital,  amid  the  dire  effects  of 
war,  will  never  be  obliterated  from  memory. 

TRAFFICKING.  On  the  streets  of  Perryville 
I  saw  a  huckster's  wagon  loaded  with  coun- 
try produce.  Examining  the  load,  I  found 
chickens,  eggs,  butter,  fruit  and  vegetables,  of- 
fered at  fair  prices.  Having  unexpended  funds 
entrusted  to  me  to  aid  in  my  relief  work  among 
the  soldiers  sick  and  wounded,  I  determined  to 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  229 

invest.  A  bargain  was  concluded  and  the  goods 
delivered  in  our  store-room,  to  be  distributed 
where  most  needed.  With  my  two  helpers,  we 
soon  made  the  distribution  as  fair  and  equal  as 
possible.  Chickens  for  soup,  fresh  eggs  and 
butter,  onions  and  apples,  just  the  articles  the 
sufferers  would  relish  and  enjoy,  were  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  cooks  and  prepared  for  the 
guests  of  the  Cincinnati  Sanitary  Commission, 
at  whose  expense  they  (brave  and  noble  suffer- 
ers) participated  in  these  good  things,  that  sup- 
plemented the  usual  hospital  supplies,  and  aid- 
ed the  healing  of  the  wounded  and  the  restora- 
tion of  the  sick. 

My  supplies  exhausted,  and  my  mission 
ended,  I  returned  to  Cincinnati  and  rendered  an 
account  of  my  stewardship.  The  commission 
approved  of  my  work,  and  in  view  of  informa- 
tion of  the  suffering  condition  of  our  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  at  Bowling  Green,  Kentucky, 
and  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  I  was  requested  to 
volunteer  my  services  in  visiting  those  places 
and  in  doing  what  I  could  to  relieve  the  sufferers. 

After  spending  two  days  at  home  with  my 
family,  with  H.  B.  Cist,  Esq.,  a  worthy  friend 
and  co-laborer  in  the  work  of  relief,  and  with 
a  good  supply  of  sanitary  stores,  we  left  for 
Bowling  Green.  The  medical  director,  in  full 
sympathy  with  our  mission,  afforded  us  every 


230  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

facility  to  gain  information  and  afford  relief. 
We  found  seventeen  hospitals,  the  largest  build- 
ings in  the  town,  occupied  by  2561  sick  and 
wounded  men,  besides  regimental  hospitals  in 
the  camps  with  500  additional  sufferers.  We 
found  the  hospitals  well  furnished,  and  the 
government  supplies  abundant,  so  that  supple- 
mented by  our  "  home  comforts  "  the  condition 
of  affairs  was  quite  satisfactory.  A  large  por- 
tion of  these  patients  belonged  to  Ohio  and 
Indiana  regiments,  and  as  I  passed  through  the 
hospitals  I  was  frequently  recognized  as  the 
Sunday-school  missionary  they  had  seen  and 
heard  at  home.  This  salutation  opened  the  way 
for  a  pleasant  interview,  and,  if  needed,  the 
bestowment  of  some  of  our  supplies.  In  these 
labors  I  felt  the  need  of  a  religious  literature 
for  distributions,  and  I  was  often  asked  "  for 
something  to  read." 

Thanksgiving  Day  occurring  while  we  were 
here  in  the  midst  of  the  sad  and  inevitable  results 
of  war  we  found  a  feeling  of  interest  among  the 
soldiers  in  the  hospitals  and  camps  in  regard  to 
its  observance.  The  forenoon  I  spent  among 
the  sick  and  wounded,  and  held  Thanksgiving 
service  in  seven  wards,  singing  hymns,  offering 
prayer  and  making  short  addresses  on  the  good- 
ness of  God.  We  found,  though  our  surround- 
ings were  depressing,  abundant  reasons  to  be 


SANITARY  COMMISSION  WORK.  231 

thankful  to  the  Giver  of  all  our  blessings.  My 
cheerful  tone  of  address  appeared  to  meet  the 
condition  of  my  hearers,  and  to  secure  their 
interest  and  approval. 

An  invitation  was  sent  to  the  troops  encamp- 
ed around  the  town  to  attend  an  afternoon  ser- 
vice in  the  open  air.  A  large  number  responded, 
and  I  preached  on  the  duty  and  the  reasonable- 
ness of  observing  a  day  of  Thanksgiving.  My 
congregation,  in  size,  interest  and  attention, 
would  compare  favorably  with  any  assembly 
convened  in  any  house  of  worship  in  our  broad 
land. 

ON  TO  NASHVILLE.  The  advance  of  the 
Union  army  had  caused  the  evacuation  of  the 
city  by  the  Confederates.  Here  we  met  the 
usual  reception  and  appreciation  of  our  mission 
by  the  military  and  medical  authorities.  Though 
many  of  our  sick  and  wounded  had  been  sent 
north,  we  found  in  Nashville  fourteen  hospitals 
with  3000  patients,  and  in  a  better  condition 
than  we  expected,  yet  the  "  home  gifts  "  sent 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission  were  very  accept- 
able and  useful. 

Hospitality.  The  hotel  where  I  boarded 
afforded  very  inferior  accomodations  both  at 
the  table  and  in  the  bed-room.  As  I  was  walk- 
ing to  a  hospital,  a  familiar  voice  hailed  me, 
"  Brother  Chidlaw."  It  was  Captain  Landis, 


232  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

quartermaster  of  the  69th  O.  V.  I.  He  invited 
me  to  make  his  quarters  my  home,  and  to  hold 
religious  services  in  his  camp,  a  mile  from  the 
city.  I  found  camp  fare  better  than  the  hotel, 
and  in  the  midst  of  900  Ohio  soldiers  I  felt 
quite  at  home,  and  found  plenty  of  work.  The 
captain  furnished  me  a  horse  and  a  guide  on 
Sunday  morning,  that  I  might  visit  as  many  as 
possible  of  the  fourteen  hospitals  before  noon. 
My  guide  was  a  warm-hearted  Christian  and  a 
good  singer,  a  Sunday-school  teacher  at  home 
and  a  good  helper  in  my  services.  In  eight 
hospitals  we  found  openings  to  tell  of  the  sym- 
pathy of  Jesus  and  his  power  to  save.  In  one 
we  found  two  men,  who  had  died  during  the 
night,  ready  for  burial.  The  steward  invited 
us  to  hold  a  funeral  service.  Here,  in  the  midst 
of  seventy  comrades,  some  of  them  drawing 
near  the  end  of  life,  I  preached  Jesus  and  the 
resurrection — words  of  hope  and  comfort.  As 
we  were  leaving,  several  of  our  hearers  extend- 
ed to  me  their  emaciated  hands,  and,  with  moist- 
ened eye  and  tremulous  voice,  told  of  their 
faith  and  trust  in  the  sinner's  Friend.  Others 
expressed  their  deep  concern  about  their  souls, 
anxious  to  be  saved.  One,  evidently  at  the 
brink,  soon  to  die,  but  in  fear  and  doubt,  asked 
for  prayer  in  his  behalf.  At  a  moment  like  this, 
when  a  dying  man,  yearning  for  pardon  and 


SANITARY   COMMISSION    WORK.  233 

peace,  is  entering  the  portals  of  eternity,  and 
passing  down  the  dark  valley,  when  the  lights 
of  earth  are  going  out,  how  precious  are  the 
promises  of  God,  and  the  outstretched  arms  of 
an  Almighty  Saviour  to  receive  the  departing 
spirit  entering  its  eternal  home  ! 

A  Large  Audience.  The  afternoon  was  pleas- 
ant, and  Captain  Landis  having  invited  other 
regiments  to  participate  with  his  own  in  our  re- 
ligious worship,  we  had  a  very  large  audience  of 
officers  and  privates.  This  great  multitude  sur- 
rounded my  wagon  pulpit.  Our  praise  service, 
under  a  good  leader,  using  the  old  familiar  hymns 
"  Am  I  a  Soldier  of  the  Cross,"  and  "  A  Charge 
to  Keep  I  Have,"  were  rendered  with  the  spirit 
and  the  understanding.  Such  an  introduc- 
tion was  very  helpful,  inspiring  devotion, 
and  preparing  us  to  deliver  and  to  hear  the 
sermon. 

This  delightful  day  closed  with  a  prayer  and 
praise-meeting  in  the  open  air  with  a  large  at- 
tendance. The  brethren  that  led  in  prayer,  or 
gave  their  testimony,  enjoyed  freedom,  the  light 
of  God's  countenance  was  upon  us,  and,  it  was, 
indeed,  good  to  be  there. 

In  this  visitation,  I  had  but  a  limited  supply 
of  literature  for  distribution,  and  it  was  a 
serious  drawback  on  my  labors,  for  the  soldiers 
greatly  needed,  and  always  appreciated  any 


234  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

reading  matter  we  could  furnish.  In  their 
loneliness,  and  with  nothing  to  do,  a  book  or  a 
paper  would  break  the  monotony  of  confine- 
ment in  the  hospital,  arouse  their  stagnant 
minds,  impart  useful  knowledge,  and  aid  in  their 
recovery. 

We  found  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
both  in  camp  and  hospital,  a  wide  and  inviting 
field  for  the  operation  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission  in  providing  for  the  physical 
necessities  of  the  sick  and  wounded.  This 
agency  was  an  important  connection  between 
the  front  and  the  rear,  the  home  and  the  hospi- 
tal, a  reinforcement  of  aid  and  sympathy  that 
cheered  and  relieved  the  brave  sufferers. 

As  far  as  our  time  and  stores  were  concerned 
we  had  completed  our  mission  at  Nashville,  but 
the  work  of  systematic  and  effective  relief  was 
only  begun.  We  assured  the  surgeons  and  chap- 
lains we  met  that  the  necessities  of  the  suffer- 
ers should  be  made  known,  and  beyond  a  doubt 
the  heart  and  resources  of  the  loyal  North 
would  speedily  and  generously  respond. 

CALLED  TO  PHILADELPHIA.  Returning  to 
Cincinnati,  the  report  of  our  labors  presented 
to  the  commission  was  approved  and  our  fidel- 
ity commended.  A  few  days  were  spent  at  home, 
visiting  and  enjoying  the  society  of  loved  ones. 
After  what  I  had  seen  in  the  pathway  of  armies, 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  235 

home,  with  its  security,  quiet,  plenty  and  cheer, 
had  never  before  appeared  such  a  delight  and 
such  a  blessing.  In  response  to  a  call  from  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  I  went  to  Phila- 
delphia for  consultation  in  regard  to  our  mission- 
ary operations,  seriously  interrupted  by  the  war. 
I  was  requested  to  remain  for  two  months,  to  pre- 
sent its  claims,  and  to  secure  means  to  sustain  its 
missionary  work.  For  January,  1863,  it  was 
arranged  that  I  should  labor  in  the  city  of  New 
York  and  several  of  the  cities  in  the  interior. 
February  was  spent  in  New  England.  My  con- 
gregations were  generally  large,  and  responsive 
to  my  appeals.  While  presenting  the  moral  and 
spiritual  needs  of  our  ignorant,  destitute,  and 
neglected  juvenile  population  for  an  educa- 
tion of  the  intellect  and  the  heart  so  as  to 
know  and  serve  God,  I  did  not  forget  the  con- 
dition and  claims  of  our  brave  soldiers  at  the 
front. 

During  this  journey,  occupying  nearly  three 
months,  I  preached  fifteen  times,  made  sixty- 
two  Sunday-school  and  patriotic  addresses,  and 
travelled  4200  miles  at  an  expense  of  $80.  In- 
fluential friends,  interested  in  my  mission,  se- 
cured the  favor  of  railroad  authorities,  and  I 
very  seldom  had  hotel  bills,  since  genial  private 
hospitality  awaited  me.  These  deeds  of  kind- 
ness added  to  my  comfort  while  separated  from 


236  THE   STORY   OF    MY    LIFE. 

loved  ones  at  home.  In  my  darkest  days  and 
most  trying  circumstances  I  never  lost  sight  of, 
or  lost  confidence  in  the  motto  of  the  Father  of 
the  faithful,  "Jehovah-jireh." 

Returning  home,  I  found  invitations  to  at- 
tend a  state  Sunday-school  convention  and  sev- 
eral county  meetings  for  the  advancement  of 
the  good  cause,  which  needed  reviving  and 
strengthening.  Camp  Dennison,  the  scene  of 
my  first  labors  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers,  was  now 
a  general  hospital,  with  1200  patients.  Here  I 
found  a  chaplain  and  volunteer  helpers,  faith- 
fully ministering  to  the  physical  and  spiritual 
wants  of  these  suffering  men.  A  hospital  at 
home,  was,  in  its  appointments,  very  different 
from  those  at  the  front.  No  wonder  that  our 
disabled  soldiers  were  sent  to  the  North !  By  re- 
quest, near  the  last  of  March,  I  went  to  St. 
Louis  to  aid  in  establishing  an  auxiliary  to  the 
United  States  Christian  Commission,  an  agency 
combining  the  good  Samaritan  and  the  true 
evangelist  in  labors  of  love  in  the  army.  Two 
large  and  enthusiastic  meetings  were  held,  funds 
raised,  and  an  auxiliary  organized  which  became 
an  important  and  efficient  center  for  the  opera- 
tions of  the  commission. 

A  VOYAGE  DOWN  THE  MISSISSIPPI.  Again, 
I  was  invited  by  the  Cincinnati  branch  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  to  take 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  237 

charge  of  a  large  quantity  of  sanitary  goods  for 
Ohio  and  Indiana  regiments  in  General  Grant's 
array  near  Vicksburg.  The  stern  wheel  steamer 
"  Dunlieth,"  Captain  Wilson,  was  chartered. 
Our  cargo,  over  400  boxes  and  barrels,  being  on 
board,  April  14th  we  left  port.  I  had  secured 
a  good  supply  of  religious  literature  from  the 
United  States  Christian  Commission  at  Phila- 
delphia for  distribution  in  camps  and  hospitals. 
We  had  on  board  Rev.  A.  R.  Howbert,  a  Luth- 
eran minister  sent  by  Governor  Todd  to  look 
after  the  interest  of  Ohio  troops,  Mr.  Hofner, 
an  aged  and  highly  esteemed  friend  of  soldiers, 
and  other  gentlemen  volunteering  to  aid  us  in 
our  work.  We  had  daily  religious  worship  on 
board,  and  our  social  intercourse  was  very  pleas- 
ant. Examining  the  invoice,  we  found  that 
our  cargo  embraced  just  what  the  soldiers,  sick 
or  well,  needed  and  would  appreciate — home  de- 
licacies, goods,  and  barrels  of  onions,  sour-kraut 
and  potatoes. 

Our  first  landing  was  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  where 
a  large  addition  was  made  to  our  cargo  by  the 
Illinois  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
destined  for  their  soldiers  in  General  Grant's 
army,  and  our  company  was  increased  by  the 
gentlemen  in  charge  of  these  supplies.  On 
shore  we  found  the  Fourteenth  Illinois  regiment 
with  an  active,  faithful  chaplain.  I  gave  him 


238  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

some  books  and  papers,  which  he  was  glad  to 
receive  for  the  use  of  his  men.  On  board  a 
United  States  receiving  ship,  I  found  250  sail- 
ors, and  gave  them  words  of  cheer  and  a  supply 
of  hymn  books.  In  the  hospital  on  the  upper 
deck,  I  found  ten  patients,  conversed  with  them, 
offered  a  prayer,  and  suspended  a  "  Silent  Com- 
forter "  which  attracted  their  attention  and 
afforded  them  pleasure. 

Meeting  Crun-boats.  I  invited  the  surgeons  to 
visit  our  boat  and  inform  us  of  sanitary  affairs. 
I  showed  our  invoice,  each  box  and  barrel  la- 
beled with  their  contents.  These  things  were 
for  general  distribution.  Observing  our  barrels 
with  vegetables,  they  said  : 

"  These  are  the  very  things  we  need.  We 
have  many  cases  of  scurvy  under  treatment." 

The  requisition  we  gladly  honored,  and  the 
goods  selected  were  soon  on  board  the  boats 
where  they  were  so  much  needed.  Receiving 
three  hearty  cheers  from  the  boats,  we  continued 
our  voyage  to  Memphis.  Here  we  delivered 
a  large  quantity  of  our  freight  in  charge  of 
United  States  officers,  to  be  forwarded  to  their 
destination  to  the  regiments  encamped  and  in 
connection  with  Memphis  as  a  base  of  supplies. 

An  Old  Felloiv- Chaplain.  Rev.  John  Eaton, 
of  the  27th  O.  V.  I.,  late  United  States  com- 
missioner of  education,  and  now  the  President 


SANITARY  COMMISSION  WORK.  239 

of  Marietta  college,  Ohio,  was  at  Memphis,  placed 
by  General  Grant  in  charge  of  20,000  colored 
people,  contraband  in  war,  fugitive  slaves  within 
our  lines.  This  was  a  great  and  difficult  un- 
dertaking, and  Chaplain  Eaton  with  his  God- 
given  endowments  of  head,  hand  and  heart,  was 
the  man  to  meet  the  emergency.  He  located 
the  impoverished  and  helpless  mass  in  camps, 
furnished  them  as  far  as  possible  with  employ- 
ment and  provided  teachers  to  instruct  them  in 
morality  and  religion,  teach  them  to  read  and 
how  to  earn  an  honest  living. 

Visiting  the  hospitals  with  1200  patients,  we 
were  delighted  to  find  their  sanitary  condition 
excellent,  with  fair  supplies  of  gifts  from  home, 
stationery,  delicacies  and  literature.  I  suspend- 
ed several  "  Silent  Comforters  "  that  attracted 
much  attention  and  at  once  secured  readers. 

A  CONTRABAND  CAMP.  As  we  laid  up  for 
the  Sabbath,  I  accepted  an  offer  to  visit  the 
camp  a  few  miles  below  the  city,  accompanied 
by  Chaplain  Eaton.  On  our  way  we  passed  in 
a  lovely  grove  the  camp  of  a  cavalry  regiment. 
A  bluecoat  hailed  me,  "  Why,  Mr.  Chidlaw,  is 
this  you  ?  I'm  very  glad  to  see  you.  Wont 
you  preach  for  us  ?  " 

I  did  not  recognize  the  soldier,  and  inquired 
who  he  was. 


THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  Why,  I  am  Ike  McLean,  that  used  to  work 
for  your  brother-in-law." 

I  then  remembered  him,  and  was  quite  as- 
tonished that  he  should  ask  me  to  preach — a 
man,  who,  at  home,  never  went  to  church,  nor 
was  in  any  way  interested  in  religion.  He 
took  us  to  head-quarters,  and  Colonel  Heath,  of 
the  5th  Ohio  Cavalry,  gave  us  a  cordial  welcome 
and  invited  me  to  preach.  The  church  call  was 
sounded,  a  large  audience  responded,  and  from 
a  baggage  wagon  I  delivered  a  gospel  sermon, 
with  an  application  on  loyalty  to  God  and  the 
Government,  a  soldier's  privilege  and  duty. 

This  detention  made  us  late  at  the  contra- 
band camp.  On  the  plain  we  found  a  large 
gathering  holding  a  prayer-meeting.  An  aged, 
gray-headed  colored  brother,  was  engaged  in 
prayer.  His  language  was  weak  and  broken, 
-but  his  prayer  was  strong  and  earnest  in  con- 
fession of  sin,  and  supplication,  with  thanks- 
giving. He  thanked  God  "  fer  de  start  from 
Egypt,"  and  asked  God  "  to  take  care  ob  dem 
in  de  wilderness,  and  to  see  dem  all  safe  in  de 
land  ob  Canaan." 

We  dismounted,  and  with  the  two  teachers 
took  our  seats  on  the  platform.  The  leader  in 
singing,  a  fine-looking  young  man,  introduced 
the  service,  saying  : 

"  Brudren,  its  time  to  begin  de  meeting.    We 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  241 

will  sing  de  hymn,  '  Hark  from  de  tombs  de 
doeful  sound.'  "  He  repeated  the  words  from 
memory,  line  by  line,  making  strange  variations 
from  the  original,  especially  in  the  last  verse, 
which  he  recited : 

"  De  tall,  de  wise,  de  rebel  head 
Comes  down  so  low  as  ourn." 

The  singing,  in  which  nearly  all  united,  was 
in  plantation  style,  quaint  and  new,  yet  im- 
pressive and  soul-stirring.  My  talk  on  Christian 
duty  my  hearers  evidently  enjoyed,  and  I  hope 
received  in  love  so  as  to  be  the  true  servants  of 
the  Lord.  One  old  pilgrim,  bowed  with  age, 
walked  up  to  the  platform,  and  while  I  was 
speaking  reached  to  me  her  sable  hand,  saying  : 
"  Bless  de  Lord  for  Jesus  Christ.  I  want  to  be 
his  servant  for  ever."  All  over  the  crowd, 
ejaculations  were  heard,  with  ominous  signs  of 
a  "rousement,"  but  I  closed  before  the  outbreak, 
for  I  saw  that  many  of  my  hearers,  were,  as  they 
say,  "  shouting  happy." 

On  the  up  Grade.  Many  of  these  people 
were  living  together  as  husband  and  wife,  mar- 
ried slave-fashion,  but  not  united  in  lawful  mar- 
riage. When  they  had  been  taught  the  sacred- 
ness,  obligations,  and  duties  involved  in  the 
marriage  relation,  Brother  Fisk,  their  teacher, 
ascertaining  their  wishes  to  be  lawfully  married, 
had  sixteen  couples  ready  for  the  ceremony  at 

16 


242  THE  STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

the  close  of  our  meeting,  As  their  names  were 
called,  the  parties  walked  up  to  the  platform 
and  stood  in  line  in  front  of  us.  One  man, 
when  his  name  was  called,  stood  up  and  said : 

"  My  old  woman  is  sick  to-day,  and  can't  turn 
out.  Please  excuse  us  till  next  Sunday." 

Here  stood  before  us  thirty  men  and  women, 
until  now  denied  lawful  marriage,  who  were  in- 
structed in  the  nature  and  obligations  of  the 
sacred  relation  into  which  they  were  entering. 
Each  couple  pledged  their  love  and  fidelity  till 
death.  During  this  ceremony,  a  solemn  stillness 
pervaded  the  congregation — no  excitement  or 
disorder,  but  good  behavior  marked  the  con- 
duct of  all  the  people. 

This  was  a  necessary  and  important  step  in 
the  uplift  of  these  people  to  a  true  social,  in- 
dustrial, and  religious  life.  Here,  on  the  tanks 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  the  stronghold  of 
slavery,  I  was  permitted,  beneath  the  stars  and 
stripes,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  these  poor  down- 
trodden people,  and  to  witness  such  a  marriage 
ceremony,  none  to  molest,  or  make  us  afraid. 
"  This  was  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous 
in  our  eyes."  (Mark  12:  11.) 

On  Monday  we  left  Memphis  for  the  encamp- 
ments at  Young's  Point  and  Millikin's  Bend,  the 
end  of  our  voyage,  and  where  the  balance  of  our  , 
cargo  was  to  be  discharged  and  forwarded  to1 


SANITARY  COMMISSION   WORK.  243 

the  regiments  or  hospitals  where  the  goods  were 
directed. 

A  FLOATING  HOSPITAL.  Near  Young's  Point 
a  three-decker  steamer,  formerly  used  in  trans- 
porting cotton,  had  750  patients,  sick  or  con- 
valescent. Here  I  suspended  twenty  "Silent 
Comforters,"  and  distributed  some  literature, 
dropping  words  af  cheer  as  I  could.  In  passing 
through  the  middle  ward  in  the  midst  of  nearly 
two  hundred  sufferers,  a  patient,  very  feeble  but 
with  distinct  utterance,  called  my  name.  I  ap- 
proached his  cot,  and  he  said  :  "  At  home,  I 
used  to  hear  you  preach  in  our  church  in  Dela- 
ware, Ohio,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  Will 
you  pray  for  me  ?  " 

I  found  that  I  knew  his  father,  a  good  man, 
an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church.  A  brother 
had  come  down  to  nurse  him,  and  if  possible  to 
take  him  to  his  good  home  and  beloved  parents. 
As  yet  he  had  not  succeeded  in  obtaining  his 
discharge  or  a  furlough.  Conferring  with  the 
surgeon,  I  was  advised  to  state  his  case  to 
General  Grant.  This  heroic  soldier  and  humane 
gentleman,  kindly  heard  my  statement  of  the 
case  and  the  opinion  of  the  surgeon,  and  an 
order,  in  the  proper  way,  was  secured  for  his 
discharge. 

The  next  day,  the  young  sufferer  and  his 
brother  were  on  board  the  "  Dunlieth,"  placed 


244  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

in  a  comfortable  state-room,  his  wants  supplied, 
and  kindly  nursed.  At  first  he  revived  and 
was  much  better,  but  Albert  Cunningham 
rapidly  declined,  and  before  we  reached  Louis- 
ville, he  died  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  his 
brother  took  his  remains  for  burial  in  the  family 
graveyard  at  home. 

In  this  great  encampment  I  found  my  old 
friends,  K.  A.  Burnell  of  Chicago,  and  William 
Reynolds  of  Peoria,  Illinois,  delegates  of  the 
Christian  Commission.  With  them  I  spent  a 
day  and  evening  in  the  divisions  of  Generals 
Logan  and  McPherson,  in  personal  conversa- 
tion, in  preaching  as  opportunity  offered  to 
large  assemblies,  brave  soldiers,  attentive  hearers 
of  the  word.  These  troops  were  then  under 
marching  orders  to  face  and  to  capture  the 
frowning  batteries  of  an  entrenched  enemy  at 
Vicksburg. 

These  two  faithful,  discreet,  and  earnest 
brethren,  were  doing  a  good  work  on  those 
tented  fields,  sowing  beside  all  waters,  know- 
ing that  the  reaping  time  would  surely  come. 

At  Cincinnati,  my  report  of  the  distribution 
of  our  cargo  and  labors  performed,  was  accept- 
ed and  approved  by  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  they  thanked  me  for  the  ser- 
vice rendered  on  this  voyage,  and  my  trips  to 
Perryville,  Kentucky,  and  Nashville. 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  245 

A  NEW  DEPARTURE.  Soon  after  my  return 
from  this  voyage  I  was  invited  by  Geo.  H. 
Stuart,  Esq.,  president  of  the  United  States 
Christian  Commission,  to  visit  Philadelphia  in 
regard  to  the  work  of  the  commission  in  Ohio 
and  Indiana.  My  observation  and  experience 
had  fully  convinced  me  that  an  agency  combin- 
ing the  sanitary  and  the  religious  was  needed  to 
meet  the  physical  and  spiritual  needs  of  our 
brave  men  in  camps  and  in  hospitals.  On  this 
basis  the  United  States  Christian  Commission 
had  been  founded,  uniting  all  religious  denomi- 
nations in  its  support.  Already,  the  heart  of 
the  nation  liberally  responded  to  its  appeal  for 
funds,  and  volunteer  delegates  were  ready  to  do 
its  work  at  the  front.  The  United  States 
Government,  and  officers  of  the  army  and  the 
navy,  sanctioned  and  encouraged  its  humane  and 
Christian  mission.  By  request,  with  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Parvin,  an  Episcopal  minister  of  precious 
memory,  both  of  us  with  commissions  as  dele- 
gates, made  a  tour  through  Pennsylvania,  filling 
appointments  made  for  us.  We  met  large  and 
enthusiastic  audiences,  and  our  intercourse  with 
the  people  and  public  addresses  awakened  much 
interest,  and  secured  good  contributions  for  the 
cause. 

THE  CINCINNATI  AUXILIARY.  On  my  return 
home  from  the  East,  aided  by  the  sympathy 


246  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

and  cooperation  of  prominent  and  influential 
citizens,  we  entered  on  the  work  of  organizing 
an  auxiliary  society  in  the  city.  We  found 
favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  and  were  greatly 
encouraged.  A  public  meeting  was  called, 
General  Burnside  of  the  United  States  Army 
presided  and  made  a  telling  address,  followed 
by  Rev.  A.  T.  Thompson,  the  eloquent  young 
pastor  of  Wesley  Chapel,  Hon.  B.  Storer,  the 
just  judge  and  whole-hearted  patriot.  A  box 
collection  of  $500  was  taken,  the  first  fruit  of 
interest  and  generosity  in  the  city. 

An  auxiliary  society  was  formed,  A.  E. 
Chamberlain  Esq.,  president;  Rev.  J.  M.  Marley, 
secretary ;  Wm.  T.  Perkins,  treasurer,  and 
myself  agent  at  large.  Mr.  Chamberlain  fur- 
nished a  large  and  central  room  for  our  head- 
quarters, and  our  business  opened  lively,  funds 
and  stores  came  in  freely,  and  delegates — minis- 
ters and  laymen  of  all  denominations — offered 
their  unpaid  services,  to  serve  six  weeks  at  the 
front  in  various  labors  in  camps  and  hospitals. 

Our  First  Anniversary  was  held  in  Mozart 
Hall,  crowded  to  its  full  capacity,  A.  E. 
Chamberlain  in  the  chair.  Rev.  John  M. 
Marley  read  the  report : 

Cash  received  during  the  year, $25,887 

Delegates  sent  to  the  front 117 

Copies  of  Scriptures  distributed, 31,475 

Hymn  books  (Soldiers'  and  Sailors',) 40,228 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  247 

Knapsack  books  distributed, 106,080 

Religious  weekly  papers, 693,950 

Pages  of  tracts  and  magazines, 909,615 

Reams  of  writing  paper, 220 

Boxes  and  barrels  of  supplies  sent, 990 

After  the  reading  of  the  report  and  its  adop- 
tion, eloquent  addresses  were  made  by  Rt.  Rev. 
Bishop  Mcllvaine,  Rev.  T.  M.  Eddy,  D.D.  of 
Chicago,  and  Colonel  Dudley  of  the  United 
States  Array. 

SENT  TO  THE  FRONT.  After  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga.  an  earnest  appeal  came  to  us 
from  our  delegates  at  Chattanooga  for  supplies 
and  delegates  to  reinforce  the  few  that  were 
there.  Ministers  and  laymen,  volunteers  from 
different  parts  of  the  State,  promptly  responded  ; 
and  equipped  for  their  work  with  a  blanket, 
woolen  shirt,  cap  and  badge,  with  a  supply  of 
selected  stores,  thirteen  good  and  true  men  left 
for  the  South.  Not  having  seen  service  at  the 
front  for  several  months,  I  was  anxious  to  be  of 
the  number,  and  my  brethren  at  the  last 
moment  decided  that  I  should  be  of  the  party. 

We  left  Cincinnati  September  23rd,  on  the 
mail-boat  for  Louisville,  where  we  received 
transportation  to  Chattanooga,  and  filled  our 
haversacks  with  provisions  to  use  on  the  way. 
I  was  left  with  three  others  at  Stevenson,  Ala- 
bama, where,  in  a  field  hospital,  we  had  1500 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  We  found  our  four 


248  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

delegates  quartered  in  an  old  hall  on  the  side 
of  the  hill.  The  upper  room  was  our  parlor, 
dormitory,  dining-room  and  kitchen.  The 
tower  story  was  our  store-room,  reading-room, 
and  chapel,  far  better  accomodations  than  we 
expected.  Really  our  home  life  was  pleasant, 
and  we  felt  well  satisfied. 

At  the  railroad  station  we  had  a  refreshment- 
room,  a  large  tent  which  Colonel  Lyon,  com- 
manding the  post,  furnished ;  and  also  twenty 
men  for  duty  day  and  night,  to  aid  in  making 
coffee  and  preparing  food  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  on  the  trains  going  north.  The 
government  bakery  supplied  the  bread  and 
crackers,  with  which,  supplemented  by  our 
jellies,  canned  fruit,  condensed  milk,  and  other 
good  things  from  home,  we  could  furnish  a  meal 
our  guests  relished  and  enjoyed.  Our  helpers 
would  take  the  food  to  those  who  could  not 
leave  the  car.  We  generally  entertained  four 
or  five  trains  each  twenty-four  hours.  Some- 
times I  saw  men  that  needed  clean  clothes. 
Having  a  good  supply  on  hand,  it  afforded  me 
great  pleasure  to  supply  them.  These  weak, 
hungry,  suffering  men  sharing  our  hospitality, 
overflowed  with  gratitude  and  thanks  to  their 
friends  at  the  North  for  this  ministry  of  human- 
ity, patriotism  and  religion  in  their  behalf. 

A  FIELD  HOSPITAL  was  located  on  a  lovely 


SANITARY  COMMISSION   WORK.  249 

plain  a  short  distance  from  the  town.  It  was 
laid  out  in  the  regulation  style,  long  rows  of 
tents  divided  into  wards,  and  a  line  of  kitchens 
in  the  rear.  In  each  ward  we  found  from  fifty 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  cots,  with  everything 
in  good  order,  the  best  hospital  arrangements 
and  equipments  I  had  ever  seen.  The  surgeons 
and  the  chaplain  received  us  very  kindly,  and 
afforded  us  many  facilities  to  do  our  work, 
distributing  stores  and  delicacies,  and  holding 
conversation  with  the  patients ;  and  if  the  way 
was  open,  we  held  religious  services.  Some- 
times we  met  indifference  and  no  interest,  but 
the  large  majority  were  respectful  and  ready  to 
hear  our  words  of  cheer,  instruction,  and  en- 
couragement, and  thankfully  received  any 
article  in  the  way  of  delicacy  and  clothing 
that  we  could  give  them. 

Supplies  Cut  Off.  The  Confederate  cav- 
alry destroyed  the  railway  communication 
between  us  and  Nashville,  our  base  of  supplies, 
and  for  a  few  days  we  were  short  of  some 
things,  especially  stationery  and  postage  stamps, 
articles  in  great  demand.  The  road  was  soon 
repaired.  Our  soldiers  when  they  operated  in 
this  work  of  destruction,  did  it  for  good.  They 
always  heated  the  rails  and  twisted  them,  while 
the  Confederates  simply  bent  them.  Our  men 
had  only  to  straighten  the  rails,  and  easily 


250  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

repaired  the  damage,  but  the  "  Yankee  twist " 
was  irreparable,  with  the  facilities  at  hand. 

LETTER  WRITING.  Most  of  the  patients 
were  anxious  to  write  home,  and  glad  to  receive 
our  stationery  and  stamps.  Out  of  our  new 
supply,  I  rilled  my  basket,  and  started  on  a 
tour  of  distribution.  In  a  tent  I  would  find 
five  to  fifteen  men,  tell  them  my  errand,  and 
tender  the  stationery.  Some  were  on  the  cots, 
others  able  to  sit  on  a  camp  stool.  I  always 
carried  in  my  basket  pen  and  ink,  and  the  top 
of  a  soap  box  for  a  desk.  If  any  were  disabled 
so  that  they  could  not  write,  I  would  write  at 
their  dictation. 

One  poor  fellow,  crippled  in  both  arms, 
requested  me  to  be  his  amanuensis.  I  stood  at 
his  cot,  ready  for  business,  and  inquired  to 
whom  he  desired  to  write. 

"Oh!  to  Nancy." 

Ignorant  of  his  relation  to  Nancy,  I  inquired 
who  she  was.  Smiling,  he  said  : 

"  She  is  my  wife." 

"  What  do  you  wish  to  say  to  her  ?  " 

"  Well,  tell  her,  I'm  getting  along  first  rate  ; 
and  ask  my  brother  Tom  to  see  that  she  has 
fire-wood,  flour,  meat,  and  groceries.  I  will 
send  money  home  when  I  get  my  pay." 

"  That  is  all  right,  and  she  will  be  much 
pleased.  What  else  shall  I  write  ?  " 


SANITARY  COMMISSION   WORK.  251 

"  I  guess  you  may  wind  up." 

"There  is  too  much  blank  paper  to  send 
home.  Can  you  think  of  anything  else  ?  " 

"  I  believe  not." 

"  You  were  wounded  in  both  arms.  What 
if  a  minie  ball  had  pierced  your  heart  ?  " 

With  a  very  serious  look,  hesitating  a 
moment,  he  said : 

"  I  would  have  been  a  dead  man  sure." 

"  Who  preserved  your  life  in  the  midst  of 
such  danger  ?  " 

"  It  was  God  that  cared  for  me." 

"  Then  shall  I  tell  Nancy  that  you  feel  that 
God  preserved  your  life  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  indeed,  that  is  what  she  would 
like  to  hear.  She  belongs  to  meeting,  and  is  a 
good  Christian." 

Pressing  on  him  and  his  associates  the  claims 
of  personal  religion,  and  offering  a  prayer,  I 
went  my  way.  All  in  the  tent  united  with 
him  in  thanks  for  the  stationery  and  my  visit, 
inviting  me  to  come  again. 

A  TEA  PARTY.  On  my  rounds  through  the 
wards  of  this  field  hospital,  I  witnessed  many 
scenes  of  special  interest,  some  of  a  very  serious 
character,  others  quite  amusing.  I  saw,  seated 
on  a  log,  near  his  tent,  a  young  soldier,  feeble 
and  emaciated.  I  greeted  him  cheerfully,  and 
inquired  about  his  health. 


252  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

"  Well,  sir,  I  am  trying  to  get  well  after  a 
severe  spell  of  typhoid  fever." 

"  Where  is  your  home  ?  " 

"  My  folks  live  in  Indiana." 

"  Were  you  ever  sick  at  home  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  had  plenty  of  fever  and  ague." 

"  What  did  your  mother  give  you  to  eat 
when  you  were  trying  to  get  well  of  the  fever 
and  ague  ?  " 

"  She  always  gave  me  tea  and  toast,  and  it 
helped  me." 

"  Why  don't  you  get  tea  and  toast  here  and 
get  well  ?  " 

"  I  get  it,  but  it  ain't  good,  and  I  am  so 
weak.  I  wish  I  could  just  get  what  my  mother 
used  to  make.  I  believe  then  I  would  mend 
right  along." 

"  Now,  my  young  friend,  I  will  try  and  make 
you  a  cup  of  tea  and  toast  like  your  mother 
used  to  give  you."  Tears  fell  from  his  sunken 
eyes,  and  he  thanked  me  heartily.  I  left  my 
stationery  basket  in  his  tent,  and  went  to  our 
store-room  and  put  into  my  haversack  some 
Oolong  tea — the  genuine  article — some  loaf  su- 
gar and  a  can  of  condensed  milk,  called  at  the 
bakery  for  a  loaf  of  stale  bread,  light  and  sweet, 
and  hastened  to  one  of  the  hospital  kitchens. 

There  I  found  a  colored  man  in  charge.  I 
asked  the  privilege  of  toasting  some  bread,  and 


SANITARY   COMMISSION   WORK.  253 

for  some  hot  water  to  make  the  tea  for  a  sick 
soldier. 

"  Yes,  sah,  certainly  ;  but,  ain't  you  de  minis- 
ter as  preaches  every  night  at  de  quarters  of  de 
commission  ?  " 

I  replied  that  I  was.  He  then  shook  hands 
with  me,  telling  me,  "  I  love  de  Lord,  and  I'm 
trying  to  live  right.  I  will  do  the  cooking,  and 
you  talk  to  me  about  Jesus  Christ  rny  Saviour." 
I  gladly  accepted  his  proposition,  and  he  went 
to  work,  sliced  the  bread  and  toasted  it  nicely, 
moistening  it  with  the  condensed  milk.  The 
water  was  soon  boiling,  and  the  tea  prepared. 
He  loaned  me  the  tea-pot  and  plate.  A  soldier 
helped  me  to  carry  the  tea  and  toast.  Arriving 
at  the  log,  the  young  man  had  left,  and  I  found 
him  asleep  on  his  cot.  When  awakened,  he 
was  very  drowsy.  I  always  carried  a  towel  and 
a  piece  of  castile  soap  with  me.  Securing  a 
bowl  of  water  he  enjoyed  a  good  wash  that 
aroused  him.  Thus  refreshed,  and  seated  on 
his  cot,  I  handed  him  a  piece  of  toast  and  a  cup 
of  tea.  He  said  at  once : 

"  That  tea  smells  good  !  Is  there  milk  in  it  ? 
It  tastes  just  right.  Does  the  Christian  Com- 
mission keep  cows  down  here  ?  " 

He  evidently  enjoyed  the  tea  and  toast,  re- 
ducing the  pile  so  that  I  was  afraid  he  would 
eat  too  much  arid  do  himself  harm.  I  sug- 


254  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

gested  that  it  would  be  best  not  to  eat  so  much 
at  once. 

"  Oh,  sir,  do  let  me  have  another  piece  ?  " 

There  remained  a  few  slices  on  the  plate,  and 
I  asked  his  fellow-sufferers,  eight  or  ten  in  num- 
ber, if  any  of  them  would  like  a  slice  and  some 
tea.  My  toast  was  gone  and  the  tea-pot  empty 
before  half  of  them  had  a  taste. 

I  replenished  my  haversack,  and  secured 
more  bread.  The  cook  soon  prepared  another 
supply,  and  in  a  short  time  I  returned  and  all 
in  the  tent  enjoyed  the  repast,  pronouncing  it 
first  rate.  Then  we  were  in  a  good  state  of 
mind  and  body  for  a  short  religious  service  in 
which  we  engaged. 

COMFORT  BAGS.  In  our  store-room  we  had 
a  large  box  filled  with  what  the  donors  at 
home  called  "  comfort  bags,"  made  by  small 
girls,  and  filled  with  "nick-nacks,"  writing 
paper  and  stamped  envelopes,  pins  and  needles, 
tracts,  a  Testament  and  a  letter  written  by  the 
sender.  These  gifts  were  appreciated  in  the 
camps  and  in  the  hospitals.  The  soldiers  were 
always  glad  to  receive  them. 

I  saw  a  stalwart  soldier,  who  had  lost  an  arm 
in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  reading  the  letter 
he  found  in  his  "  comfort  bag."  Tears  were 
coursing  down  his  manly  cheeks,  and  with  a 
voice  tremulous  with  emotion,  he  said  :  "  This 


SANITARY  COMMISSION   WORK.  255 

makes  me  think  of  my  wife  and  children  at 
home.  How  kind  in  some  little  girl  to  write 
me  such  a  letter,  and  to  send  me  such  a  lot  of 
nice  and  useful  things  !  " 

These  little  messengers  of  aid  and  sympathy 
from  the  rear,  came  to  cheer  and  strengthen 
the  brave  soldier  at  the  front,  far  from  his  home 
and  liable  to  the  casualties  of  war.  In  this 
and  many  other  ways  did  the  pure  patriotism 
and  the  Christian  sympathy  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  women  and  children,  in  a  direct  and  effec- 
tual manner  reach  the  soldier  enduring  hard- 
ship and  exposed  to  danger.  The  little  "  com- 
fort bag  "  and  its  contents,  the  work  and  gift  of 
a  little  girl,  told  the  stout-hearted  soldier  that 
he  was  not  forgotten  at  the  home  fireside,  but 
fondly  remembered  and  his  heroic  services  ap- 
preciated. The  "  comfort  bag  "  as  well  as  all 
other  gifts  from  home,  carried  with  it  an  influ- 
ence felt  and  potent  to  resist  evil  in  the  time  of 
temptation,  and  to  be  strong  in  times  of  weak- 
ness. The  interest  and  sympathy  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  Union  army,  expressed  in  so  many 
ways,  was  a  silent  and  efficient  power  of  great 
service  in  many  directions,  an  acknowledged 
helpfulness  in  the  great  conflict  in  which  the 
nation  was  involved. 


CHAPTER  XL 

BROADER   RELIEF   AND   REFORM  WORK. 

AN  APPOINTMENT.  On  my  arrival  at  home, 
I  found  on  my.  desk  a  commission  from 
the  governor  of  Ohio,  appointing  me  a  trustee 
of  Miami  University  at  Oxford,  a  State  institu- 
tion where  I  graduated  in  1833.  Congress  do- 
nated the  State  a  township  of  land  (23,040 
acres)  as  an  endowment.  The  original  Board 
of  Trustees  located  the  township,  one  of  the 
best  in  the  State,  and  leased  it  and  erected 
buildings,  and  in  1823  appointed  a  faculty 
and  graduated  the  first  class  in  1827.  The 
university  prospered,  and  has  a  very  honorable 
history,  having  graduated  large  numbers  of 
men  prominent  in  the  Church  and  in  the  State. 
PATRIOTISM  AND  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.  At 
Dayton,  Ohio,  in  the  State  Sunday-school  Union 
at  its  anniversary  in  1863,  while  the  dark  cloud 
of  the  civil  war  was  hanging  over  us,  and 
thousands  of  our  officers,  teachers  and  scholars, 
were  at  the  front  fighting  the  battles  of  the 
Union,  I  introduced  the  following  preamble  and 
resolutions : 

(256) 


RELIEF    AND    REFORM   WORK.  257 

WHEREAS,  our  Sunday-schools  are  so  largely  represented 
in  the  United  States  army  and  navy,  and  our  co-laborers 
now  in  the  service,  cheerfully  and  heroically  bearing  the 
burdens  of  duty,  fighting  for  the  flag,  and  living  by  the 
cross : 

Resolved,  that  the  Ohio  State  Sunday-school  Union, 
assembled  in  convention,  extends  its  cordial  greetings  and 
Christian  sympathy  with  our  brethren  in  arms: 

Secondly,  that  we  urge  upon  every  Sunday-school  at 
once  to  open  a  correspondence  with  its  absent  members,  to 
cheer  and  encourage  our  loved  associates  now  in  the  camp, 
on  the  deck,  or  languishing  in  hospitals  : 

Thirdly,  that  we  earnestly  desire  that  all  the  children  of 
our  brave  soldiers  and  sailors  should  be  gathered  into  our 
Sunday-schools  and  instructed  in  Bible  truth  and  duty  : 

Fourthly,  that  we  would  kindly  encourage  all  soldiers 
who  at  home  drilled  in  the  Sunday-school  army,  and  have 
studied  the  heavenly  tactics,  to  fall  into  line  on  the  tented 
field,  establish  a  Bible  class  or  Sunday-school  for  the  spir- 
itual benefit  of  themselves  and  comrades. 

These  resolutions  were  unanimously  and 
enthusiastically  passed. 

In  the  afternoon,  2500  Sunday-school  scholars 
and  teachers,  each  bearing  a  United  States  flag, 
marched  to  the  city  park,  and  attentively  list- 
ened to  several  patriotic  and  religious  addresses. 

MY  LAST  VISIT  TO  THE  FRONT,  was  in  De- 
cember, 1864,  when  with  fifteen  delegates  of 
the  United  States  Christian  Commission  we  left 
Cincinnati  for  Nashville.  The  recent  battles 
around  the  city  resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the 
Confederate  army  under  General  Hood,  left  a 
very  large  number  of  wounded  soldiers  of  both 
armies  in  the  hospitals.  The  Christian  Com- 
mission work  was  in  charge  of  Rev.  E.  P. 
Smith  and  his  estimable  wife.  A  large  house, 

17 


258  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

well  furnished  and  centrally  located,  was  our 
home,  where,  advised  by  Brother  Smith,  we  ar- 
ranged our  work  and  received  instruction.  We 
had  good  supplies  of  stores  and  literature. 

I  was  assigned  with  Rev.  J.  B.  Little  of 
Indiana  to  the  Cumberland  hospital,  Dr.  Cloak 
in  charge,  a  kind  Christian  gentleman,  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Day,  chaplain,  a  good  brother,  who  gladly 
accepted  our  services.  The  hospital  had  twelve 
wards  and  800  patients,  very  many  of  them 
severely  and  dangerously  wounded.  Such  suf- 
ering  I  had  never  witnessed  before.  A  feeling 
of  sadness  and  a  sense  of  my  helplessness  op- 
pressed me,  so  that  I  was  almost  ready  to  give 
up  and  return  home. 

In  my  extremity,  cast  down  and  discouraged, 
I  asked  God  to  deliver  me  from  this  weakness, 
inspire  me  with  courage  and  strength,  and  to 
give  me  grace  sufficient  for  my  day.  The  next 
day,  with  my  associate  who  was  a  good  singer,* 
we  made  our  way  early  to  the  Cumberland 
Hospital  and  found  work  alleviating  suffering 
and  comforting  the  dying  with  the  consolations 
of  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  In  the  con- 

*  In  a  letter,  received  from  Rev,  J.  B.  Little,  now  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  April  3, 1890,  he  writes : 
"I  am  the  eldest  son  of  your  '  yoke  fellow '  Rev.  Henry  Little,  D.D., 
of.Madison,  Indiana.  I  remember  some  of  your  Sabbath-school 
stories  before  I  thought  of  the  ministry.  I  recall  twenty-four 
religious  services  in  the  twenty-four  wards  of  the  Nashville  hospi- 
tals with  you  one  Sabbath  day.  You  did  the  preaching  and  I 
sang." 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  259 

valescent  ward  we  held  pleasant  personal 
conversation  with  the  heroic,  uncomplaining 
sufferers,  distributed  religious  reading,  and 
had  public  worship  daily.  This  great  hospital, 
with  the  sympathy  and  encouragement  of  its 
officers,  afforded  us  a  good  field  for  labor.  One 
day,  we  distributed  700  religious  weekly  papers 
in  these  wards.  Often  a  man  would  say,  look- 
ing at  the  name  of  the  paper,  "  O  yes,  this  is 
the  paper  my  parents  took  at  home.  I  am  glad 
to  get  it." 

The  "  diet  kitchen  "  established  and  worked 
by  the  United  States  Christian  Commission 
was  of  great  service  in  this  hospital.  The 
work  was  in  charge  of  three  ladies  from  Pitts- 
burg,  delegates  of  the  Christian  Commission. 
Here,  under  the  instruction  of  surgeons,  nutri- 
tious food  and  delicacies  were  cooked  and  served 
to  the  patients — just  what  they  needed,  and 
could  relish,  and  so  helpful  in  their  healing  and 
restoration  to  health. 

OPPOSITION.  During  the  summer  of  1864  I 
attended  and  participated  in  two  state  Sunday- 
school  conventions,  several  county  meetings, 
visiting  military  hospitals  in  Ohio  and  Indiana, 
and  making  addresses  in  behalf  of  the  Chris- 
tian Commission.  In  my  labors  I  encountered 
indifference,  but  very  seldom  any  opposition ; 
popular  sentiment  was  in  favor  of  the  interests 


260  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

I  represented,   whether  patriotic  or  religious, 
pleading  for  the  soldier  or  the  children. 

One  incident  I  will  mention,  and  copy  from 
the  "  Delaware  Gazette,"  a  leading  paper  in 
Central  Ohio. 

"  Eev.  Mr.  Chidlaw  was  invited  to  speak  in  Middletown 
(now  Prospect)  in  behalf  of  the  United  States  Christian 
Commission  for  the  army  and  navy.  A  few  disloyalists 
closed  the  Methodist  meeting-house  against  the  cause  of 
the  soldier,  and  his  faithful  friend  and  earnest  patriot.  A 
crowd  assembled  around  the  locked  doors,  ready  to  force 
them  open.  Mr.  Chidlaw  proposed  to  take  a  block  for  his 
pulpit  and  speak  in  the  open  air.  A  prominent  citizen, 
said:  '  For  the  credit  of  our  town  and  this  community,  the 
meeting-house  doors  must  be  opened.'  The  key  was  fur- 
nished, and  the  meeting-house  crowded  to  overflowing. 
After  a  rousing  speech  in  support  of  the  Government  and 
the  army,  a  collection  was  taken  for  the  commission. 

"In  the  box  was  found  a  butternut  breast-pin,  the 
symbol  of  disloyalty  and  copperheadism  evidently  dropped 
in  by  a  sympathizer  with  the  rebellion,  either  as  an  insult 
to  the  speaker  or  indignity  to  the  soldier  ;  or,  we  hope,  as 
evidence  that  he  had  recanted,  and  had  become  a  loyal 
citizen.  A  few  more  such  meetings  would  root  out  dis- 
loyalty, and  bring  all  the  people  to  '  rally  round  the  flag 
boys,'  and  in  practical  sympathy  with  our  brave  soldiers, 
our  brethren,  who  gallantly  fight  our  battles,  and  win  the 
victories  which  will  preserve  the  Union  and  save  the  life 
of  the  nation." 

THE  THIED  ANNIVERSARY  of  the  United 
States  Christian  Commission  was  held  in  Phila- 
delphia. Fifty  representatives  of  its  vigorous 
and  efficient  auxiliaries  in  the  loyal  States 
were  present.  We  were  invited  by  the  citizens 
of  Philadelphia  to  a  dinner  in  the  Continental 
Hotel,  a  very  elaborate  affair.  This  to  me  was 
an  entirely  new  feature  in  Christian  Commission 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  261 

affairs,  and  a  bright  social  sunshine  enjoyed  by 
all. 

In  the  evening,  the  anniversary  services  were 
held  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  crowded  to  its 
full  capacity  by  a  brilliant  and  patriotic 
audience.  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  presided, 
and  J.  S.  Demond,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  read  the 
summary  of  the  report,  showing  for  the  year 
the  cash  receipts,  $1,297,755.28,  and  in  stores 
$1,169,580.37,  a  marvellous  outpouring  of  funds 
and  stores  to  relieve  and  cheer  our  brave  sol- 
diers on  the  field  or  in  the  hospitals.  Philip 
Phillips,  the  prince  of  song,  thrilled  the 
audience  with  "  Your  Mission  "  rendered  w'ith 
remarkable  effect.  Three  addresses  were  deliv- 
ered, and  a  telegram  from  Speaker  Colfax,  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  read  by  President 
Stuart,  announced  that  the  law  giving  freedom 
to  the  slaves  had  passed.  This  glorious  news 
occasioned  the  most  rapturous  and  prolonged 
applause. 

THE  CLOSING  ANNIVEESAKY.  The  next  year 
at  Washington,  A.  E.  Chamberlain,  O.  N.  Bush, 
Eli  Johnson,  W.  T.  Breed,  H.  T.  Miller  and 
myself  represented  the  Cincinnati  auxiliary. 
We  had  a  pleasant  journey,  and  were  quartered 
at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel.  On  Saturday  morn- 
ing a  business  session  was  held,  and  in  the 
afternoon  the  delegates  1000  strong,  led  by  Mr. 


262  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Stuart,  called  on  President  Johnson  at  the 
White  House,  the  secretaries  of  the  various 
departments,  and  General  Grant.  These  inter- 
views 'were  eminently  satisfactory,  and  greatly 
enjoyed.  Later  the  delegates  from  Ohio  called 
on  Ex-Governor  Dennison  and  Ex-Governor  R. 
B.  Hayes,  then  in  Congress.  Both  of  these  dis- 
tinguished gentlemen  always  favored  the  Chris- 
tian Commission  and  were  our  personal  friends. 

In  four  years  of  its  operations,  the  commis- 
sion had  received  in  cash  and  supplies 
$6,291,107.60,  and  now  accounted  for  its  expen- 
diture for  the  benefit  of  our  brave  soldiers  and 
gallant  sailors. 

The  Public  Meeting.  On  Sunday  evening  in 
the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Vice 
President  Colfax  occupied  the  chair,  and  made 
the  opening  address,  patriotic  and  eloquent. 
.Near  him  were  seated  General  Grant,  Chief 
Justice  S.  P.  Chase,  General  Augur,  Bishop 
Simpson  and  George  H.  Stuart.  Dr.  Boynton, 
chaplain  of  the  House,  offered  a  very  appro- 
priate and  fervent  prayer. 

Mr.  Stuart  sketched  the  history  and  work  of 
the  commission,  sending  out  5000  volunteer 
and  unpaid  delegates,  ministers  and  laymen  of 
all  denominations,  to  spend  each  six  weeks  in 
camps  and  hospitals,  distributing  supplies  worth 
$3,800,000,  literature,  stationery,  and  postage 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  263 

stamps  $1,050,000,  besides  erecting  chapels  and 
supporting  diet  kitchens  to  prepare  nourishing 
and  palatable  food  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

Addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  Herrick  John- 
son, D.D.,  Rev.  E.  P.  Smith,  Senator  Doolittle, 
and  General  Augur.  A  telegram  was  received 
from  General  Meade  stating  that  illness  pre- 
vented his  attendance,  and  expressing  in  the 
most  emphatic  language  his  high  esteem  for  the 
Christian  Commission,  and  for  its  efficient  and 
timely  services  during  the  war. 

Vice  President  Colfax,  after  reading  the  tele- 
gram, said:  "Dr.  Johnson  has  spoken  of  the 
work  of  the  commission  in  the  East,  we 
will  now  listen  to  one  who  has  seen  service 
in  the  South  and  West,  Rev.  B.  W.  Chidlaw, 
of  Ohio."  This  was  a  complete  surprise,  and  I 
was  much  perplexed.  Mr.  O.  N.  Bush,  Esq., 
of  Cincinnati,  sat  at  my  side,  and  I  asked  him 
what  I  should  do. 

"  Go  ahead,  and  the  Lord  will  help  you,"  was 
his  reply. 

With  fear  and  trembling,  unheralded  and 
unknown,  I  made  my  way  through  the  crowd 
to  the  speaker's  desk,  and  was  kindly  greeted 
by  the  chairman  and  introduced  to  that  grand 
audience. 

Greatly  embarrassed  at  first,  I  gradually 
gained  self-possession,  and  my  usual  freedom 


264  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

of  utterance  came  to  my  relief.  My  experience 
in  varied  labors,  wearing  the  badge  of  the  Chris- 
tian Commission,  came  to  my  mind  and  help. 
I  detailed  incidents,  illustrating  the  objects  and 
methods  of  the  commission  on  battlefields,  in 
camps  and  hospitals,  relieving  and  cheering  the 
sick  and  wounded,  and  consoling  the  dying. 
My  eye  resting  on  Brother  Stuart,  I  extended 
my  hand,  and,  rising,  he  grasped  it  as  oft  times 
before.  I  said : 

"  Brother  Stuart,  we  shall  not  again  hold 
prayer-meeting  around  camp-fires,  or  minister 
to  our  suffering  soldiers  sick  and  dying.  Thank 
God,  and  our  victorious  army  and  navy,  that  the 
day  of  peace  has  dawned  upon  us,  the  rebellion 
is  subdued,  the  Union  is  unsevered,  and  the 
government  lives.  Good-bye  Brother  Stuart, 
and  through  you,  to  the  5000  laymen  and  min- 
isters who  were  our  fellow  laborers,  till  we 
reach  the  camping-ground  on  high." 

This  closing  of  my  extempore  speech,  border- 
ing on  the  dramatic,  was  entirely  spontaneous. 
As  water  gushing  from  the  fountain,  so  these 
words  gushed  from  my  excited  soul  and  loosened 
tongue.  My  honest  pride  may  be  pardoned,  if 
I  copy  what  the  "  New  York  Times  "  said  of  my 
unpremeditated  effort. 

"  He  thrilled  the  vast  audience  with  his  simple  and  elo- 
quent illustrations  of  the  noble  work  done  by  the  United 


RELIEF   AND    REFORM    WORK.  265 

States  Christian  Commission  in  the  western  armies.  His 
allusion  to  the  closing  labors  of  the  commission  were  so 
affecting  as  to  melt  the  audience  to  tears." 

After  spending  a  day  in  Washington,  several 
of  the  delegates  invited  by  Mr.  Stuart  went  to 
Richmond.  On  the  way  we  witnessed  the  rav- 
ages of  war,  and  the  city  in  its  desolation  deep- 
ened the  impression.  We  visited  Libby  Prison, 
ascended  to  the  garret  where  my  friend  and 
Christian  brother,  Chaplain  McCabe  and  his 
fellow  prisoners  celebrated  the  Fourth  of  July, 
1863.  The  old  flag  they  surreptitiously  hung 
on  the  rafters  of  Libby  Prison  was  to-day 
proudly  floating  from  the  dome  of  the  capitol 
of  Virginia.  We  visited  and  were  delighted  to 
see  3500  colored  youth  enjoying  educational 
advantages  in  the  free  schools  of  the  city.  In 
a  well-kept  hospital  we  found  seventy  United 
States  soldiers  under  treatment,  with  the  "  Silent 
Comforter  "  on  the  walls  and  a  good  supply  of 
literature  on  the  tables.  At  the  request  of  the 
surgeon,  we  held  a  religious  service,  the  patients 
interested,  thanked  us  for  calling  and  for  the 
service  they  enjoyed. 

In  the  evening,  we  went  to  a  meeting  in  the 
African  Baptist  church,  crowded  to  the  doors. 
We  were  favored  with  seats  near  the  pulpit. 
Dr.  Herrick  Johnson  made  an  address  that 
moved  the  audience  to  a  "  rousement."  Quiet 


266  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

restored,  other  short  addresses  were  made.  At 
the  close  the  spirit  of  song  rested  upon  the  con- 
gregation, and  they  lifted  up  their  voices  as  of 
many  waters  in  singing  the  following  words: 

"  O  strange  brethren  have  you  come  to  help  us  ? 
Give  us  your  own  right  hand, 
Hallelujah,  praise  the  Lord." 

Keeping  time  with  a  peculiar  movement  of 
the  body,  and  swinging  their  arms,  these  words 
were  repeated  a  score  of  times. 

The  leader,  at  the  close  of  the  meeting,  with 
clear  articulation  and  peculiar  intonations,  sang 
as  a  soloist  these  words,  the  entire  congregation 
joining  heartily  in  the  chorus : 

"  He  sets  a  table  before  me, 

In  spite  of  all  my  foes. 
The  light,  and  truth  He  gives  us 

Shall  gladden  all  our  days. 
Then  in  His  house  securely 

I'll  ever  speak  His  praise. 

CHOEUS : 

Joshua  fought  the  battle  of  Jericho, 
And  the  walls  came  tumbling  down." 

Hand-shaking  and  shouting  followed  this 
song,  and  when  we  left  at  rather  a  late  hour 
there  was  no  abatement  in  the  excitement. 
The  colored  people  evidently  enjoyed  this 
method  of  worship ;  but  more  quietness  and 
order,  thought  and  instruction,  would  serve  a 
better  purpose  and  do  more  good. 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  267 

Our  Christian  Commission  work  was  now 
finished,  and  we  were  mustered  out  of  service, 
ready  for  duty  on  the  Sunday-school  missionary 
field,  and  along  other  humanitarian  and  educa- 
tional lines  which  Providence  might  open. 

REFORM-SCHOOL  WORK.  For  many  years 
the  subject  of  reforming  juvenile  delinquents 
was  in  my  thoughts,  and  in  it  I  was  deeply 
interested. 

In  1866  Governor  J.  D.  Cox  of  Ohio,  ap- 
pointed me  a  commissioner  of  the  Ohio  Reform 
Farm  School,  near  Lancaster,  Ohio,  founded  on 
the  family  plan  in  1856,  on  a  large  tract  of  hilly 
land.  G.  E.  Howe,  Esq.,  was  the  acting  com- 
missioner residing  at  the  institution,  Hon.  John 
A.  Foote  of  Cleveland,  and  myself  advisory 
commissioners.  Ohio  was  the  pioneer  in  adopting 
the  family,  rather  than  the  congregate,  system 
of  treating  juvenile  offenders.  The  family  sys- 
tem provides  a  safe,  good  home — the  congre- 
gate, a  prison  with  massive  walls  and  iron  bars. 

My  associates  in  the  management  of  the  in- 
stitution were  excellent  and  worthy  gentlemen, 
qualified,  and  devoted  to  their  duty.  Mr. 
Howe,  the  pioneer  in  this  new  method  of  re- 
claiming and  educating  wayward,  vicious,  and 
criminal  boys,  was  also  a  thorough  business  man. 
Mr.  Foote  was  an  experienced  lawyer,  skilled 
in  accounts  and  finance :  both  were  Christians  in 


268  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

their  characters  and  lives.  To  be  associated 
with  such  gentlemen,  and  a  co-laborer  in  such  a 
work,  was  an  honor  and  a  privilege.  From  my 
taste  and  experience,  it  was  natural  for  me  to 
be  specially  interested  in  the  social,  intellectual, 
moral  and  religious  training  of  our  boys  from 
ten  to  eighteen  years  of  age,  of  every  grade  of 
intellect  and  shade  of  character.  In  1866  we 
had  five  family  buildings,  two  of  them  of  hewed 
logs,  and  238  boys  constituting  these  five  house- 
holds. In  1876  we  had  nine  family  buildings 
of  brick,  commodious  and  convenient,  and  465 
boys.  All  the  boys  work  on  the  farm  or  in  shops 
half  of  the  day,  the  other  half  is  spent  in  the 
school-room.  During  these  ten  years  great  im- 
provements were  made,  water  and  gas  works 
were  introduced,  vineyards  and  orchards  plant- 
ed, and  shop  buildings  erected. 

In  reforming  these  boys,  and  preparing  them 
for  good  citizenship — knowing  that  all  true  re- 
formation begins  in  the  heart,  and  works  out- 
wardly— adopting  Divine  revelation  for  our 
guide,  we  taught  them  to  cease  to  do  evil,  and 
learn  to  do  well.  The  soul  must  be  renewed 
and  delivered  from  the  love,  guilt,  and  power  of 
sin,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  boys  were 
instructed  in  moral  and  religious  truth  in  their 
home,  their  Sunday-school,  and  in  the  chapel. 
Each  boy  is  furnished  with  a  Bible,  and  helps 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM    WORK.  269 

to  study  the  Sunday-school  lesson  in  their  com- 
fortable family  home. 

In  their  home,  forty  to  sixty  in  a  family,  they 
are  in  the  charge  of  an  officer  called  "  Elder 
Brother,"  in  all  regards  with  proper  authority 
"  in  loco  parentis"  the  head  of  the  family.  If 
he  is  the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  all  is 
well.  Knowing  that  boys  in  rags,  and  poorly 
fed,  would  not  be  contented,  or  respond  to  our 
efforts  to  save  them,  we  provided  proper  and 
comfortable  clothing,  and  plenty  of  good  nutri- 
tious food.  We  instructed  them  in  habits  of 
personal  cleanliness  and  good  manners.  We 
aimed  in  their  treatment  in  the  family,  the 
school-room,  shop  and  field,  and  on  the  play- 
ground to  secure  their  respect  and  confidence. 
We  as  far  as  possible  trusted  them,  and  confi- 
dence became  mutual.  This  settled  them  at 
home,  and  prevented  escapes. 

We  made  the  best  possible  provisions  for 
their  industrial  training.  Consulting  their  tastes 
and  physical  ability,  we  gave  them  employment 
on  the  farm  or  in  the  shops.  This  made  labor 
pleasant,  and,  if  a  boy  liked  to  work,  he  was  on 
the  way  to  a  true  reformation  on  that  line. 
Character  built,  and  habits  formed  on  solid  re- 
ligious principles,  enable  them  to  resist  tempta- 
tions, maintain  their  integrity,  and  do  well  for 
themselves  in  the  battle  of  life. 


270  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

The  boys  are  sent,  not  sentenced,  by  some 
court  of  record.  After  reading  their  commit- 
ment papers,  they  are  charged  with  demerit 
marks  from  1500  to  6000,  according  to  the  crime 
for  which  they  are  sent.  As  the  boy  enters,  an 
account  is  opened  with  him  as  to  his  conduct  in 
the  family,  the  school-room,  and  his  labor. 
His  discharge  will  depend  on  wiping  out  the 
demerits,  and  is  therefore  in  his  own  hands,  and 
this  is  a  strong  motive  for  a  clean  record.  It 
takes  a  boy  from  a  year  and  a  half  to  four  years 
to  work  his  way  out. 

When  honorably  discharged,  with  a  clean  re- 
cord, he  receives  $10  and  a  suit  of  new  clothes, 
a  reward  for  good  conduct  and  service  render- 
ed. After  repeated  efforts,  we  failed  to  secure 
a  law  authorizing  the  employment  of  an  agent 
to  look  for  homes,  locate  in  homes,  and  look 
after  them  in  their  homes.  As  so  many  of  the 
boys  are  homeless  and  friendless,  they  go  out 
under  a  great  disadvantage.  The  State  should 
continue  an  authoritative  guardianship  over 
each  discharged  boy  who  has  no  home,  till  his 
maturity. 

From  the  best  information  we  believe  that 
seventy-five  per  cent  of  our  discharged  boys  do 
fairly  well,  and  earn  an  honest  living,  becoming 
producers,  and  not  merely  consumers.  Some, 
unfortunately,  drift  into  an  evil  life,  or  are 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM    WORK.  271 

drones  in  society  ;  and  of  others  we  must  say, 
as  of  many  a  gallant  vessel,  she  left  port  and 
was  never  heard  from. 

How  WE  GOT  A  NEW  CHAPEL.  Many  years 
ago  our  chapel  was  a  large  room  in  the  second 
story  of  our  dining  hall,  uncomfortable  and 
poorly  ventilated.  A  committee  from  the  Ohio 
Legislature  were  on  a  visit.  That  they  might 
meet  the  boys  and  talk  to  them,  chapel  service 
was  held.  The  evening  was  warm  and  the 
chapel  crowded.  One  of  the  members,  an 
earnest  Methodist  lay  preacher,  warming  up  in 
his  discourse,  said  to  me  "  Brother  Chidlaw, 
can't  we  get  some  fresh  air?  I  am  suffering." 

"  No,  my  good  brother,  we  cannot  ventilate. 
Your  dilemma  is  an  evidence  that  we  need  a 
new  chapel." 

"  That  is  a  fact.  I  will  remember  this  when 
the  appropriation  bill  is  up,  and  you  shall 
certainly  have  a  new  chapel  in  which  the 
speaker  will  not  suffer  for  fresh  air." 

The  appropriation  of  $12,000  was  secured, 
and  a  beautiful  and  well  furnished  chapel  was 
built,  where  the  Sunday-school  is  held  and  where 
our  boys  hear  the  gospel. 

A  NEW  BOY.  On  a  winter  morning  during 
my  monthly  visit,  just  after  our  breakfast  a 
sheriff  brought  a  boy  from  Dayton,  Ohio. 
Delivering  his  charge  and  the  papers,  the  officer 


272  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

departed  to  make  the  train.  The  poor  lad,  four- 
teen years  of  age,  was  ragged,  unwashed  and 
uncouth.  He  was  stolid  and  sullen,  and  when 
I  offered  to  shake  hands  with  him,  he  made  no 
response,  but  kept  his  seat.  I  told  him  when 
people  were  friendly  they  shook  hands.  With 
this  explanation,  he  arose  from  his  chair,  and 
we  had  a  good  time  of  it.  I  inquired  if  he  was 
hungry. 

"  Yes,  I  got  no  breakfast." 

I  went  to  the  kitchen,  and  the  cook  gave  me 
a  plate  with  a  square  meal  on  it,  and  a  mug  of 
coffee.  I  took  it  to  the  hungry  boy,  and  he 
soon  made  a  clean  sweep  of  the  food  and  cof- 
fee. The  officer  to  take  the  boy  into  the  lava- 
tory, the  barber  shop  and  the  clothing-room, 
was  not  on  hand,  so  I  entertained  my  young 
friend,  and  invited  him  to  go  out  with  me  and 
see  his  new  home.  I  pointed  out  the  family 
buildings,  skirting  the  beautiful  lawn,  the  work 
shops  and  the  conservatory,  but  he  was  quite 
indifferent,  and  said  not  a  word.  He  broke  the 
silence,  however,  by  asking : 

"  Havn't  you  a  thundering  big  jail  to  hold  the 
boys  ?  " 

"  No,  but  we  have  a  chamber  for  reflection,  a 
room  where  we  put  boys  when  they  do  wrong, 
that  they  may  think  of  their  evil  ways  and 
resolve  to  do  better.  Were  you  ever  in  jail  ?  " 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  273 

"Yes,  lots  of  times  ;  in  Buffalo,  York  State; 
in  Cleveland  and  Toledo,  and  I  came  from  the 
Dayton  jail  here.  If  you  have  no  jail,  how 
are  you  going  to  hold  me  here  ?  " 

I  said,  "  In  the  same  way  we  hold  over  four 
hundred  boys.  We  will  give  you  a  good  home, 
send  you  to  school,  and  have  you  work  half  the 
day." 

The  officer  came  to  us  and  took  the  lad  in 
charge,  and,  as  the  boys  used  to  say,  "  he  fixed 
him  up."  Examining  the  register,  I  found  that 
he  was  located  in  the  Muskingum  family,  and  I 
went  there.  In  their  school-room,  I  found  fifty- 
five  boys  enjoying  themselves,  reading,  writing, 
studying  their  Sunday-school  lesson,  and  some 
amusing  themselves  with  games.  I  looked  for 
the  new  boy,  but  I  could  not  recognize  him.  I 
asked  the  Elder  Brother  (the  officer  in  charge) 
to  call  him  up  to  the  desk.  A  nice,  well-dressed 
youth  walked  up  and  I  met  him,  offering  him 
my  hand.  He  took  it  like  an  old  friend,  and  we 
had  a  good  hand-shake.  I  asked  if  he  knew 
me. 

"  Yes  sir,  but  I  don't  know  your  name.  You 
are  the  man  that  gave  me  a  breakfast  this 
morning." 

"  How  do  you  like  your  new  home  here  ?  " 

"  Well,  it's  a  good  place,  and  I  am  satisfied." 

18 


274  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

"  As  we  have  no  jail,  do  you  think  you  will 
run  away  ?  " 

"  No  sir,  I  never  had  such  a  chance  before, 
and  I  am  going  to  stay  and  do  right." 

In  one  day  the  State  of  Ohio  changed  the 
confirmed  vagrant,  jail-bird,  filthy  and  ragged, 
into  a  well-clad,  contented,  and  comfortable 
school  boy  in  a  good  home,  and  with  the  oppor- 
tunity of  attaining  an  honorable  and  useful 
position  in  life.  Such  boys  are  worth  saving, 
and  their  salvation  is  possible  if  the  proper 
means  are  faithfully  employed.  The  history  of 
the  Ohio  Reformatory  for  thirty-four  years, 
affords  ample  confirmation  of  the  fact. 

INCIDENTS.  Walking  on  Third  street,  Cin- 
cinnati, an  express  wagon  driver  jumped  from 
his  vehicle  and  accosted  me,  "  Brother  Chidlaw, 
how  do  you  do  ?  "  I  knew  by  the  hail  that  he 
was  a  reform -school  boy  (for  there,  we  are  all 
brothers),  and  gladly  responded  to  his  greeting, 
"  How  long  have  you  been  outside  ?  " 

"  A  little  over  four  years. " 

"  How  are  you  succeeding  since  your  dis- 
charge ?  " 

"I  am  following  the  instructions  you  and 
others  gave  me.  I  work  steady,  save  my  earn- 
ings, and  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  buy  and  pay 
for  a  horse  and  wagon  of  my  own." 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  275 

"  How  about  the  Sunday-school  and 
church  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  remember  your  talk  about  going  to 
Sunday-school  and  church,  and  keeping  out  of 
saloons  and  bad  company.  I  don't  work  on  Sun- 
day, and  I  go  to  church,  but  I  am  not  a  mem- 
ber yet.  I  hope  to  be  one.  I  am  living  with 
my  mother,  and  she  wants  me  to  live  a  religious 
life." 

Spending  a  Sunday  in  the  Ohio  Penitentiary 
at  Columbus,  after  attending  the  prison  Sunday- 
school,  and  preaching  in  the  forenoon,  I  was  in- 
vited, by  a  card  very  beautifully  written,  to 
call  at  a  cell,  where  I  would  find  a  friend.  I 
made  the  call,  and  found  confronting  rne,  clutch- 
ing the  iron  bars  of  the  cell  door,  pale  and 
haggard,  one  of  our  reform-school  boys.  I 
recognized  him  at  once,  and  remembered  him  as 
one  of  our  brightest  boys,  especially  gifted  in 
penmanship  and  the  use  of  the  crayon.  In  that 
line  he  was  a  genius,  but  he  was  sadly  deficient 
in  moral  principle  and  indifferent  to  religion. 
I  said  to  him,  after  words  of  sympathy  and  re- 
gret at  finding  him  behind  iron  bars  :  "  C , 

you  are  here  for  forgery,  I  suppose/' 

"  Yes,  Brother  Chicllaw,  you  are  right.  I 
paid  but  little  attention  to  your  teachings  on 
the  subject  of  morals  and  religion,  and  because 


276  THE    STORY    OF   MY   LIFE. 

of  it,  I  am  to  spend  five  years  of  my  life  a  con- 
vict." 

I  encouraged  him  to  study  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, to  adopt  sound  moral  and  religious  prin- 
ciples, to  trust  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  lead  a  true 
religious  life.  He  appeared  interested  and 
penitent,  and  promised  to  ponder  the  path  of 
his  feet,  and  walk  in  the  way  of  righteousness. 
The  talent  which  God  gave  him,  and  which  the 
State  of  Ohio  developed,  for  the  want  of  moral 
principle  the  unfortunate  youth  had  prostituted, 
his  young  life  was  blighted  with  the  just  and 
inevitable  consequence  of  wrong- doing — the 
doom  of  the  transgressor. 

PENAL  AND  CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 
From  1850,  while  prosecuting  my  Sunday- 
school  missionary  labors  over  my  wide  field,  and 
as  population  increased,  I  found  opportunities 
of  usefulness  in  visiting  county  jails  and  in- 
firmaries. These  visits  aroused  my  sympathies 
with  prisoners  and  paupers,  and  interested  me 
in  their  physical  and  moral  condition. 

In  our  county  infirmaries, (and  we  have  eighty- 
eight  in  Ohio,)  where  our  pauper  population 
have  a  home,  I  always  found  a  mixed  house- 
hold, old  and  young,  sane  and  insane,  invalid 
and  healthy,  all  classes  of  defectives,  the 
ignorant  and  degraded,  all  in  one  family,  and 
with  few  exceptions,  without  religious  privi- 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  277 

leges.  The  condition  of  children  in  most  of 
these  infirmaries  was  deplorable,  much 
neglected  in  mind,  soul,  and  body.  The 
authorities,  understanding  the  object  of  my 
visit,  received  me  kindly,  and  afforded  me  op- 
portunities to  examine  the  buildings,  converse 
with  the  inmates,  and  hold  religious  services. 

Child  life  in  the  average  infirmary,  was  at- 
tended with  many  evils,  and  the  dictates  of 
humanity  demanded  a  separation  of  the  children 
from  the  adults,  and  special  care  and  training. 
Through  the  press  and  public  meetings,  the 
subject  was  agitated,  and  a  law  was  enacted 
authorizing  the  building  of  "  Childrens' 
Homes  ; "  and  now  forty  counties  in  Ohio  have 
such  homes,  where  pauper  children  are  properly 
cared  for  and  educated,  and  as  soon  as  they  are 
prepared,  and  an  outside  home  is  found,  they 
are  discharged,  either  by  adoption  or  by  inden- 
ture. 

In  some  county  infirmaries  Sunday-schools 
were  established  and  sustained,  and  also  daily 
schools,  where  the  children  received  the  rudi- 
ments of  an  education,  an  important  step  in 
their  preparation  for  outside  life.  In  a  few  years 
great  improvements  were  made  in  the  buildings 
and  management  of  these  institutions. 

FINDING  AN  AGED  DISCIPLE.  In  the  county 
infirmary  near  Connersville,  Indiana,  I  found  an 


278  THE    STORY   OF    MY    LIFE. 

old  and  esteemed  friend.  I  had  known  him  for 
years,  travelling  through  the  country  in  a  small 
wagon,  selling  notions  and  books.  He  was  a 
very  religious  man,  and  literally  went  about 
doing  good.  He  was  quite  old,  but  vigorous 
and  healthy.  I  had  not  met  him  for  several 
years,  and  I  was  astonished  to  meet  him  an  in- 
mate of  this  infirmary — an  honest,  industrious, 
and  godly  man  in  the  poor-house  !  He  was 
aged,  and  feeble  physically,  but  happy  and 
cheerful,  glad  to  see  me  and  to  talk  as  of  old  on 
the  subject  of  religion.  He  told  me  his  story. 

"Two  years  ago,  I  gave  up  travelling,  and 
disposed  of  my  team  and  business.  I  paid  all 
my  debts,  and  I  had  very  little  left,  but  I 
trusted  God,  and  relied  on  his  promises.  I  was 
then  eighty  years  old,  and  not  able  to  work. 
My  friends  in  the  church  took  care  of  me,  paid 
for  my  room  and  board.  I  had  a  good  place 
and  good  friends,  but  as  a  Christian,  a  servant 
of  God,  I  could  not  do  much  work  in  town,  so 
I  voluntarily  came  to  the  Infirmary,  where,  in 
the  family  of  over  fifty  men,  women  and  children, 
I  could  labor  for  God,  and  the  souls  of  the 
perishing." 

His  Christian  experience,  his  natural  gifts  and 
religious  knowledge  fitted  him  for  such  work. 
The  superintendent  said  :  "  Old  Mr.  Parker  is 
a  saint  of  the  Lord.  He  is  the  salt  of  this 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM    WORK.  279 

establishment.  Everybody  respects  him  and 
listens  to  his  earnest  prayers,  and  are  attentive 
to  his  religious  teachings.  I  scarcely  know  how 
to  get  along  with  my  people  without  him." 
Until  his  death,  at  85,  Brother  Parker  labored 
for  the  Lord  and  his  poor  on  this  chosen  field, 
happy  and  useful ;  winning  many  souls  to 
Christ,  consoling  the  sick  and  dying,  and  re- 
moving the  burden  of  sorrow  from  many  deso- 
late hearts.  His  death  was  a  triumph,  easy  and 
peaceful,  a  change  from  the  pauper  home  for 
the  "many  mansions,"  the  poverty  of  earth  for 
the  enduring  riches,  and  of  service  for  the 
glorious  rewards  reserved  above. 

THE  STATE  PENITENTIARY.  I  endeavored 
to  visit  annually  the  penitentiary  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  and  spend  a  few  days,  including  the  Sab- 
bath, within  its  walls,  welcomed  by  the  warden, 
chaplain  and  officers,  and  favored  with  doing 
what  I  could  by  personal  conversation  and 
preaching  the  gospel.  Forty  years  ago  the 
prison  population  was  only  four  or  five  hun- 
dred. On  my  last  visit,  in  December,  1889,  I 
found  a  prison  population  of  1410  men,  and  30 
women,  treated  with  humanity,  under  excellent 
discipline,  and  enjoying  the  labors  of  a  faith- 
ful chaplain,  Rev.  J.  H.  De  Bruin.  At  8  A. 
M.  the  Roman  Catholics  have  a  service,  and  the 
Protestants  hold  a  Sunday-school.  This  morn- 


280  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

ing  500  scholars,  in  eighteen  classes,  were  taught 
by  Christian  men  from  the  churches  of  Columbus, 
Christ-loving  brethren,  for  his  sake  unfolding 
and  impressing  divine  truth  on  the  intellect 
and  the  heart  of  their  scholars.  Many  of  them, 
led  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  understand,  believe, 
and  accept  the  truth,  and  can  say,  though 
within  prison  walls,  as  did  David,  (Ps.  18  :  28 :) 
"  For  thou  wilt  light  my  candle  :  the  LOUD  my 
God  will  enlighten  my  darkness." 

At  9  A.  'M.,  the  hour  for  a  prayer  and  con- 
ference meeting,  nearly  five  hundred  convicts 
assembled.  One  of  their  number  opened  with 
an  earnest  prayer,  three  others  followed,  and 
three  gave  their  experience,  the  way  God  was 
leading  them,  their  temptations  and  their  joys, 
beseeching  an  interest  in  the  prayers  of  their 
associates.  One,  to  be  discharged  in  a  few 
days  by  the  expiration  of  his  sentence,  in 
broken  language  told  of  what  God  had  done 
for  him,  and  his  purpose,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
to  live  an  honest  and  good  life,  encouraging  his 
fellow  prisoners  to  get  ready  to  go  out  by 
becoming  truly  religious.  This  meeting,  con- 
ducted by  these  brethren  in  bonds,  was  to  me 
a  blessed  preparation  for  preaching  to  the  great 
congregation,  who,  in  the  Spacious  chapel,  would 
wait  on  my  ministry. 

What  an  audience  was   seated   before   me  I 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM    WORK.  281 

Thirty  females  in  the  gallery,  and  over  fourteen 
hundred  males  in  their  prison  garb  on  the 
ground  floor  !  The  singing  was  congregational, 
led  by  an  organ  and  a  choir  of  convicts.  In 
such  a  presence  my  soul  was  overwhelmed 
within  me,  but  resting  on  the  promise  "  in  that 
hour,"  I  delivered  my  message,  telling  my 
attentive  hearers  what  our  blessed  Saviour  said 
as  recorded  in  John  12:  26,  that  they  might 
follow  him,  live  godly,  useful  lives,  share 
divine  honors  now,  and  reign  rn  life  with 
Christ  forever;  closing  with  an  application  that 
each  one  should  ask  and  answer  the  question  : 
In  whose  service  are  you  now?  If  in  the 
slavery  of  sin,  follow  Christ,  and  he  will  make 
you  free,  free  indeed.  The  solemn  stillness 
and  attention  indicated  the  spirit  of  hearing, 
and  the  tears  that  came  from  many  eyes,  led 
me  to  hope  that  the  Holy  Spirit  moved  on  these 
precious  souls. 

AN  INCIDENT.  Several  years  ago,  as  I  was 
passing  a  new  building  in  Cincinnati,  a  man 
covered  with  brick  and  mortar  dust,  greeted 
me,  saying : 

"  I  would  like  to  speak  with  you,  sir." 

"  Certainly,  I  am  always  glad  to  converse 
with  a  man  that  labors  as  you  do." 

"  I  heard  you  preach  in  Columbus  three 
times." 


282  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  Yes,  I  frequently  preach  in  that  city.  In 
what  church  did  you  hear  me  ?  " 

With  a  subdued  voice,  he  said  :  "  It  was  in 
the  penitentiary.  I  remember  one  of  the  texts, 
the  last  time  I  heard  you  a  good  while  ago.  It 
was  '  Lay  hold  on  eternal  life.'  You  told  us 
that  eternal  life  was  true  religion,  and  how  we 
were  to  lay  hold  on  it,  and  be  saved  by  study- 
ing the  Bible,  by  prayer,  trusting  the  promises 
of  God,  believing  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  repent- 
ing of  our  sfiis.  That  sermon  was  my  start.  I 
read  Matthew  through  the  next  week.  I  never 
cared  for  the  Bible  till  then.  I  prayed,  and  I 
believe  Jesus  saved  me,  and  I  felt  as  I  never 
did  before.  I  have  good  reason  to  remember 
that  sermon,  and  to  thank  God  for  it." 

"  How  did  you  get  along  in  your  new  life  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  made  known  the  state  of  my  mind 
to  our  chaplain,  and  he  instructed  and  en- 
couraged me.  I  was*  converted,  and  ever  since 
God  saved  me  in  my  prison  cell,  I  have  loved 
and  served  my  Saviour." 

"  How  have  you  got  along  in  your  religious 
life  since  your  discharge  ?  " 

"Before  I  went  to  prison  I  was  dissipated. 
I  learned  the  bricklaying  trade  when  a  youth, 
and  now  follow  it  and  have  good  wages. 
Liquor  and  bad  companions,  landed  me  in  the 


RELIEF   AND   REFORM   WORK.  283 

state  prison  for  four  years,  but  God  made  it  a 
blessing  for  me." 

"  Have  you  a  family  ?  " 

"  Only  a  mother  and  sister,  both  real  good 
Christians.  We  live  happy,  my  earnings  sup- 
port us  comfortably,  we  belong  to  the  church, 
and  enjoy  our  religious  life  ;  and  now  I  desire 
to  thank  you  for  the  sermon  that  awakened  my 
soul  and  told  me  how  to  be  saved.  I  entered 
the  prison  an  ignorant,  hardened,  reckless  man, 
but  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  left  it  a*  new  man  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  to  this  day  God  has  been  my 
helper." 

This  unexpected  interview,  the  revelation 
made,  with  the  appearance,  spirit,  manner,  and 
words  of  the  man,  told  me  that  preaching  the 
gospel  within  prison  walls  to  hardened,  thought- 
less convict  hearers,  the  Bible  in  the  cell,  and 
access  to  the  Mercy  Seat,  may  be  the  power  and 
wisdom  of  God  in  the  salvation  and  religious 
life  of  the  chief  of  sinners. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

EENEWED    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK. 

RESUMING  MISSION  WORK.  The  blessed 
years  of  peace  and  prosperity  that  fol- 
lowed the  civil  war,  were,  with  their  enlarged 
opportunities,  among  the  busiest  of  my  life,  and 
chiefly  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  Sun- 
day-school cause — organizing  new  schools  in 
neglected  localities,  reviving  old  schools  that 
were  languishing,  and  distributing  our  juvenile 
religious  literature.  A  ten  dollar  library  of  one 
hundred  volumes,  selected  with  special  refer- 
ence to  the  wants  and  circumstances  of  our 
scholars,  secured  by  purchase  (a  donation,  in 
whole,  or  in  part,  as  we  found  the  financial 
ability  of  the  people),  served  important  ends  in 
our  schools,  new  or  old,  feeble  or  strong.  The 
library  attracted  and  held  our  scholars,  culti- 
vated a  taste  for  reading,  and  afforded  valuable 
knowledge  otherwise  not  within  the  reach  of 
our  young  people.  In  the  publication  and  dis- 
tribution of  this  pure  and  elevated  literature, 
the  American  Sunday-School  Union  rendered 
an  invaluable  service  in  behalf  of  our  young 

(284) 


RENEWED   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK.  285 

people,  anticipating  the  flood  of  frivolous,  vile, 
and  vice-engendering  issues  of  the  satanic 
press.  Over  the  door  of  every  school  thus  sup- 
plied with  the  Divine  Text  Book,  and  such  a 
library,  may  be  inscribed  the  legend  over  the 
entrance  of  the  Eddystone  Light-house  :  "  To 
give  light,  and  to  save  life." 

The  resources  of  the  society,  and  the  desire 
of  the  Board  of  Missions  to  enlarge  its  opera- 
tions, made  it  my  duty  to  employ  additional 
missionaries,  locate  them  on  their  fields,  and 
cooperate  with  them  as  far  as  possible  so  as  to 
render  their  labors  pleasant  and  successful. 

During  these  years,  from  1866  to  1870,  the 
progress  of  the  Sunday-school  cause  was  indi- 
cated in  the  organization  of  "institutes"  for  the 
purpose  of  improving  our  teachers  in  the 
methods  of  teaching,  how  to  gain  and  retain 
the  attention  of  scholars,  how  to  study  the  les- 
son, and  how  to  impress  its  teaching  on  the  in- 
tellect and  heart  so  as  to  secure  a  clear  and 
systematic  knowledge  of  the  truth — a  personal 
Christian  experience  and  a  religious  life,  active 
and  faithful.  The  institutes,  from  a  small  be- 
ginning, grew  in  public  favor  and  importance 
among  all  Sunday-school  workers,  and  did  much 
in  the  elevation  of  the  standard  of  teaching  in 
our  Sunday-schools,  and  the  promotion  of  Bible 
knowledge  among  our  scholars.  Teachers' 


286  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

meetings  became  more  general,  and  were  found 
useful  and  interesting.  County  Sunday-school 
conventions  became  more  general  in  Ohio  and 
Indiana,  and  when  ministers  and  laymen,  ex- 
perienced and  earnest  in  Sunday-school  work, 
devoted  their  time  to  the  convention,  public 
interest  became  enlisted,  good  attendance  was 
secured,  and  the  discussion  of  practical  subjects 
was  helpful  in  the  extension  and  improvement 
of  the  work.  In  these  conventions  all  denom- 
inations united,  and  thus  promoted  fraternity 
and  Christian  unity  in  gathering  the  neglected 
into  the  Sunday-school  fold,  and  instructing 
them  in  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christian- 
ity. Our  state  Sunday-school  conventions, 
well  organized  and  efficient,  aided  effectively 
in  securing  confidence  and  interest  in  the  good 
work,  enlisting  the  cooperation  of  new  and 
active  co-laborers  securing  statistics. 

Grove  meetings,  generally  called  Sunday- 
school  celebrations,  became  more  general,  and 
with  improved  arrangements  for  order  and 
comfort,  more  useful  and  popular.  By  invita- 
tion, I  participated  in  such  a  meeting  in  a 
lovely  grove  near  Young  America,  Warren 
county,  Illinois.  In  the  trains  and  wagons 
over  3000  Sunday-school  scholars  and  teachers 
from  all  parts  of  the  county  came  together, 
and  with  good  order  and  cheer,  enjoyed  the 


RENEWED   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK.  287 

day  singing  the  songs  of  Zion,  hearing  ad- 
dresses, and  in  genial  sociability.  This  exhibi- 
tion of  the  Sunday-school  cause  in  the  Prairie 
State,  to  the  Ohio  missionary  was  inspiring  and 
hopeful,  and  an  incident  added  to  his  pleasure. 

An  Incident.  At  the  noon  hour,  partaking 
of  a  basket  dinner,  a  man  accosted  me  very 
pleasantly  and  said : 

"  When  I  was  a  youth  in  Indiana,  our  Sun- 
day-school attended  a  celebration,  and  you  were 
one  of  the  speakers.  You  did  not  take  your 
text  from  the  Bible,  but  you  took  two  trees, 
one  crooked  and  gnarled,  the  other  straight  and 
without  a  knot,  and  gave  us  an  object  lesson. 
You  asked  the  schools  what  made  the  one 
crooked  while  the  other  was  straight.  A  boy 
answered,  '  I  guess  a  limb  fell  on  the  crooked 
one  when  it  was  little.'  You  then  showed 
what  made  boys  and  girls  crooked  in  their  lives, 
bad  and  worthless.  You  hit  me  a  good  many 
times,  for  bad  habits  were  gaining  on  me,  and 
I  resolved  to  quit  them  and  to  grow  up  straight. 
I  live  ten  miles  from  here.  Still  I  remember 
your  talk  years  ago,  and  with  my  Sunday- 
school  I  am  delighted  to  see  and  to  hear  you 
once  more." 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN  NATIONAL  CONVEN- 
TION. In  November,  1867, 1  attended  the  great 
Presbyterian  National  Convention  in  Philadel- 


288  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

phia,  composed  of  400  delegates,  ministers  and 
laymen,  representing  the  Old  and  New  School 
churches  of  the  North,  and  held  in  the  interest 
of  "  Reunion."  For  thirty  years  division  had 
separated  these  churches,  and  thereby  their 
interest  had  greatly  suffered.  During  the  civil 
war,  and  after  the  evil  of  slavery  had  been 
removed,  a  closing  of  ranks  and  the  healing  of 
difficulties  led  the  way ;  and  responsive  to  the 
growing  demand  for  reunion  this  convention 
was  called. 

It  was  a  popular  assembly  for  prayer,  inter- 
change of  views,  and  conference  on  the  subject 
of  reunion.  The  movement  was  spontaneous, 
and  awakened  a  deep  interest  in  the  churches. 
At  the  preliminary  meeting  held  in  Dr.  T.  W. 
J.  Wylie's  church  on  Broad  street,  near 
Spruce,  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  presided. 
Committees  were  appointed,  and  arrangements 
made  for  subsequent  meetings.  The  tone  of 
this  first  meeting — the  church  crowded,  the 
earnest  spirit  manifested,  the  brotherly  love  and 
harmony  that  prevailed — gave  unmistakable 
promise  that  its  proceedings  would  hasten  the 
day  when  the  Presbyterian  church,  long  rent  by 
division,  would  be  a  unit  in  spirit  and  work 
for  the  Master.  The  first  half  hour  of  the  next 
day  was  to  be  devotional,  and  I  was  invited  to 
lead.  A  large  attendance,  fervent  prayers,  and 


RENEWED   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK.  289 

interesting  remarks  made  this  season  of  prayer  a 
spiritual  blessing,  and  a  preparation  for  the  work 
of  the  day. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  half  hour,  I  received 
a  note  from  the  chairman  of  the  committee  to 
nominate  permanent  officers,  asking  the  continu- 
ance of  the  prayer-meeting  for  fifteen  minutes, 
when  they  would  be  ready  to  report.  After 
reading  the  note,  I  requested  some  brother  to 
lead  in  prayer.  The  response  lingered.  Just 
then  I  caught  the  eye  of  Robert  Carter  of  New 
York,  and  asked  him  to  pray.  He  stood  up 
before  the  Lord,  and  in  scriptural  language 
bewailed  and  confessed  the  sin  of  division,  his 
voice  tremulous  and  penetrating  and  full  of 
pathos ;  then,  as  if  relieved  of  a  heavy  burden, 
he  pleaded  earnestly  for  the  fulfillment  of  the 
Saviour's  prayer  for  the  unity  of  his  people,  and 
the  spread  of  the  gospel  at  home  and  abroad. 

This  prayer  was  a  wonderful  out-pouring  of 
a  soul  endowed  with  an  unction  from  the 
Holy  One,  and  its  effect  on  the  audience  was 
marvellous,  melted  into  tears  and  awe-struck  in 
the  presence  of  our  prayer-hearing  and  prayer- 
answering  God.  The  unbroken  silence  that 
followed  told  the  impression  produced.  We 
were  dumb  before  the  Lord  whose  presence  we 
so  fully  realized. 

The  committee  reported,  and  their  nomina- 

19 


290  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

tions  were  unanimously  confirmed.  They  had 
failed  to  agree,  and  wanted  further  time.  At 
the  last  moment,  and  in  a  way  they  knew  not, 
they  harmonized  during  the  time  when  Robert 
Carter  was  in  prayer,  became  of  one  mind,  and 
united  in  presenting  their  report.  It  was  said 
that  Rev.  Dr.  Musgrave,  a  leader  in  the  Old 
School,  rather  indifferent  if  not  opposed  to  re- 
union, was  so  impressed  with  the  prayer  of 
Robert  Carter  that  he  became  one  of  its  strongest 
friends  and  ablest  advocates.  His  advocacy 
and  support  added  force  to  the  movement,  and 
hastened  its  consummation. 

In  the  afternoon  session,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishops 
Mcllvaine  of  Ohio,  and  Lee  of  Delaware,  dele- 
gates from  the  General  Convention  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  church  then  in  session  in  Phila- 
delphia, were  introduced,  and  with  words  of 
warm  Christian  greeting  and  brotherly  love 
encouraged  us  in  the  movement  for  reunion, 
bidding  us  God-speed  in  all  our  endeavors  to 
save  a  perishing  world.  For  two  days  the  con- 
vention continued  in  prayer  and  conference, 
our  minds  enlightened  and  our  hearts  moved  by 
eloquent  and  powerful  addresses  in  favor  of  a 
reunited  church,  and  when  the  final  vote  was 
taken  it  was  unanimous  and  enthusiastic.  The 
results  of  this  national  convention  were  wide- 
spread, arousing  new  interest  in  the  movement, 


RENEWED   SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK.  291 

and  concentrating  Presbyterial  action  in  its 
favor. 

In  May  of  1869,  I  was  appointed  by  my  Pres- 
bytery commissioner  to  the  New  School  General 
Assembly,  to  meet  in  New  York,  where  the 
Old  School  Assembly  also  met.  In  both 
assemblies,  the  subject  of  reunion  was  thoroughly 
considered,  and  the  terms  of  union  settled.  In 
both  assemblies  the  vote  on  their  adoption  was 
unanimous  and  enthusiastic. 

On  my  way  home  in  June,  I  participated  in 
the  session  of  the  State  Sunday-school  Conven- 
tion at  Steubenville,  Ohio.  The  friends  were 
out  in  force,  new  subjects  relating  to  Sunday- 
school  work  were  introduced,  eliciting  warm  but 
fraternal  discussion,  and  resulting  in  the  adop- 
tion of  measures  to  render  our  state  work  more 
efficient  in  the  training  of  teachers  and  establish- 
ing new  Sunday-schools  in  neglected  neighbor- 
hoods around  our  local  churches. 

My  labors  at  the  Ohio  Reform-school  for 
boys  continued,  visiting  the  institution  month- 
ly. We  had  now  550  boys,  in  ten  families. 
The  daily  schools  and  the  Sunday-school  were 
doing  a  good  work  in  the  intellectual  and 
moral  education  of  the  boys.  Some  were,  af- 
ter all  our  efforts,  careless  and  very  hardened, 
but  the  great  majority  made  progress  in  the 
school-room,  studied  the  Sunday-school  lesson, 


292  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

and  many  of  them  committed  the  text  to 
memory.  They  would  in  concert  recite  the 
entire  text  of  the  lesson,  and  for  a  half  hour 
answer  promptly  and  accurately  the  questions 
I  would  ask,  showing  that  they  had  studied 
the  lesson  and  understood  its  teaching. 

In  travelling  through  the  State,  I  frequently, 
at  the  request  of  friends,  lectured  on  the  Re- 
form-school, for  the  purpose  of  informing  the 
people  in  regard  to  its  objects  and  methods, 
and  to  warn  boys  drifting  into  bad  habits  and 
an  evil  life.  I  often  delivered  an  address  on 
"  Bad  boys,  Why  ?  and  What  to  do  with  them," 
developing  the  causes  that  produce  juvenile 
delinquency,  and  the  way  to  rescue  and  save 
them. 

THE  BIBLE  IN  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  In  Cin- 
cinnati, while  the  subject  of  excluding  the  Bi- 
ble from  the  public  schools  was  agitated,  a 
mass  meeting  of  the  friends  of  the  Bible  and 
opposed  to  its  exclusion,  was  held,  September 
22,  1869,  in  Pike's  Opera  House,  one  of  the 
largest  halls  in  the  city.  A  grand  gathering 
of  prominent  citizens,  awake  to  the  peril  of 
the  hour,  thronged  the  hall.  Hon.  Rufus  King 
presided,  and  addresses  on  the  value  and  power 
of  the  Bible  in  our  schools,  read  without  note 
or  comment,  and  the  inevitable  and  disastrous 
effects  of  its  exclusion  were  made  by  W.  M. 


RENEWED  SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK.  293 

Ramsey,  Esq.,  Hon.  G.  R.  Sage,  and  the  old 
Sunday-school  missionary.  Strong  and  ringing 
resolutions  condemning  the  attempt  to  banish 
the  Bible  from  our  schools  were  passed,  but 
without  the  desired  effect.  The  indifference  of 
the  avowed  friends  of  the  Bible,  and  the  ac- 
tivity of  its  enemies  secured  a  majority  in  the 
School  Board,  and  God's  Word  was  virtually 
banished  from  our  public  schools. 

In  their  hostility  to  the  Bible  in  our  public 
schools,  Romanism  and  the  enemies  of  the  Bi- 
ble combined  their  influence  and  power  to 
bring  about  the  disaster,  and  now  Romanism 
tells  us  that  our  public  schools  are  godless  and 
demoralizing,  and  that  the  system  should  be 
destroyed.  In  our  Sunday-schools,  the  Divine 
Text  Book,  "  God's  holy  book  divine  "  has  a 
place,  and  will  hold  it  while  truth  and  right- 
eousness dwell  in  our  land. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

UNION  AT  HOME  AND  ABEOAD. 

HPHE  REUNION  AT  PITTSBURG.  The  two 
1  Presbyterian  General  Assemblies  while  in 
session  in  New  York,  adjourned  to  meet  in  the 
city  of  Pittsburg  in  November  to  consummate 
the  union.  The  New  School  Assembly,  num- 
bering over  two  hundred  commissioners,  Rev.  Dr. 
P.  H.  Fowler,  moderator,  met  in  the  Third 
church.  The  Old  School  Assembly  convened 
in  the  First  church,  Rev.  Dr.  M.  W.  Jacobus, 
moderator.  Each  assembly  spent  the  first  day 
in  transacting  business  and  completing  some 
details  involved  in  the  union.  These  were 
satisfactorily  adjusted,  and  on  the  next  day 
according  to  the  arrangements  made  a  grand 
and  imposing  procession,  an  Old  School  minis- 
ter or  elder  arm  in  arm  with  his  brother  of  the 
New  School,  marched  from  one  church  to  the 
other,  the  moderators  at  the  head,  followed  by 
over  five  hundred  ministers  and  elders,  the 
echo  of  their  footsteps  on  the  side-walks  of 
Pittsburg  telling  the  world,  "  We  are  breth- 
ren," and  that  henceforth,  in  the  Presbyterian 

(294) 


UNION   AT    HOME   AND   ABROAD.  295 

church,  "  Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah,  and 
Judah  shall  not  vex  Ephraim,"  "  Behold,  how 
good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unity ! "  Thus  united,  with  the 
"  blessing  of  the  God  of  peace  "  resting  on  its 
closed  ranks,  our  beloved  church,  "  strong  in 
the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might,"  was 
equipped  for  a  great  and  aggressive  movement 
in  all  departments  of  evangelistic  work,  at 
home  and  abroad. 

THE  REUNITED  CHUBCH.  Again  I  was  hon- 
ored by  my  brethren  with  a  seat  in  the  General 
Assembly  of  1870  at  Philadelphia,  ever  mem- 
orable in  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  United  States.  In  this  city  thirty  years 
before  the  unity  of  the  Presbyterian  church  was 
rent,  an  unhappy  event,  disastrous  to  her  power 
and  progress,  a  cloud  upon  her  glory,  an 
evil  greatly  deplored.  To-day,  division  is  a 
thing  of  the  past.  The  reunited  General  As- 
sembly was  made  up  of  six  hundred  commis- 
sioners. Rev.  Dr.  J.  T.  Backus  of  Schenectady, 
New  York,  was  elected  moderator  by  acclama- 
tion. At  the  division,  in  1837,  the  church  had 
2140  ministers,  now  it  had  4229:  then  its 
membership  was  220,557,  the  reunited  family, 
one  in  Christ,  numbered  450,000,  a  wonderful 
increase  under  unfavorable  circumstances. 

GENIAL  HOSPITALITY  abounded  in  the  City 


296  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

of  Brotherly  Love.  The  commissioners  were 
royally  entertained  in  private  families,  enjoying 
a  real  home  feeling,  and  the  comfort  of  genuine 
Christian  fellowship.  The  Presbyterians  of 
Philadelphia  gave  the  General  Assembly  a 
magnificent  banquet  in  the  Academy  of  Music. 
On  the  front  of  the  first  gallery,  in  letters  gold- 
en and  of  immense  size,  was  inscribed,  "  The 
church  in  Philadelphia  salutes  you."  Over  three 
thousand,  including  other  guests,  were  greeted 
by  this  emphatic  salutation,  and  spent  an  eve- 
ning never  to  be  forgotten,  a  real  feast  for  the 
souls  and  bodies. 

The  next  day,  invited  by  their  friends,  the 
General  Assembly  went  on  an  excursion  to 
Cape  May.  Our  voyage  down  the  bay,  and 
our  sojourn  for  a  day  on  the  shore  of  Old  Ocean, 
was  very  enjoyable,  and  a  new  thing  under  the 
sun  to  many  of  us. 

In  reviewing  the  reunion  movement  from  its 
small  beginnings  to  its  happy  consummation,  the 
prayers  offered,  and  the  labor  bestowed  upon  it, 
the  delicate  and  difficult  work  of  reconstructing 
our  long-divided  church,  we  can  truly  say, 
"  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us ; 
whereof  we  are  glad." 

During  the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly, 
the  forty-sixth  anniversary  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union  was  held  in  the  Academy 


UNION   AT   HOME   AND   ABROAD.  297 

of  Music.  The  Assembly  was  invited  to  attend, 
and  hundreds  of  its  members  were  present. 
Vice  President  Colfax  presided.  A  message 
was  delivered  from  General  Grant,  President  of 
the  United  States,  in  which  the  distinguished 
hero  and  statesman  said:  "I  was  a  Sunday- 
school  scholar  for  many  years  in  Ohio,  and  I 
have  never  forgotten  the  lessons  I  there 
learned."  Addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Cheney  of  Chicago,  Dr.  McCosh  of  Princeton, 
Dr.  Arnot  of  Scotland,  and  others. 

The  General  Assembly,  by  invitation,  at- 
tended a  grand  temperance  meeting  in  the 
First  church.  Geo.  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  presided, 
Robert  Carter,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  offered 
prayer,  Rev.  J.  B.  Dunn  of  Boston,  Rev.  Dr. 
Arnot  of  Scotland,  Dr.  John  Hall  of  New  York, 
and  Dr.  Cuyler  of  Brooklyn  delivered  eloquent 
and  convincing  addresses. 

Thus  the  reunited  church  expressed  its  sym- 
pathy and  interest  in  the  early  religious  instruc- 
tion of  the  neglected  masses  beyond  the  lines  of 
our  organized  churches,  and  in  the  great  tem- 
perance reformation,  to  save  our  nation  from 
the  untold  and  fearful  evils  of  intemperance. 

AN  ECCLESIASTICAL  WEDDING.  Soon  after 
returning  from  the  Assembly  I  was  invited  to 
the  marriage  of  the  Old  and  New  School 
churches  of  Oxford,  Ohio.  A  large  number  of 


298  THE   STORY   OF   MY    LIFE. 

ministers  and  elders  were  present.  The  mar- 
riage contract  entered  into  by  the  sessions  of 
both  churches  was  considered  and  approved  by 
the  contracting  parties,  and  in  the  presence  of 
a  crowded  audience  these  two  churches,  so  long 
divided,  became  the  "  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Oxford,"  in  charge  of  Rev.  A.  H.  Young,  a 
faithful  and  honored  pastor,  and  for  twenty 
years  the  united  church  has  prospered.  The 
uniting  of  two  churches  in  the  same  locality, 
in  so  many  places,  has  been  a  blessed  fruitage 
of  the  reunion  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

A  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION  was  called  to 
assemble  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  consider  the 
present  state  of  religion,  and  to  adopt  ways  and 
means  for  its  improvement.  A  large  and  influ- 
ential body  of  ministers  and  laymen  assembled, 
and  practical  questions  regarding  Christian 
unity,  aggressive  work,  and  consecrated  per- 
sonal service  were  ably  discussed  by  Drs.  T.  E. 
Thomas  of  Dayton,  Fairchild  of  Obeiiin,  Good- 
rich of  Cleveland,  T.  A.  Reamy,  M.  D.,  of 
Zanesville,  and  D.  L.  Moody  of  Chicago,  and 
others. 

At  the  request  of  the  warden  and  chaplain 
of  the  penitentiary,  a  delegation  was  appointed 
to  hold  a  religious  service  within  its  walls  on  a 
week  day  afternoon.  We  found  the  prisoners 
just  out  of  their  workshops  assembled  in  the 


UNION  AT  HOME   AND   ABEOAD.  299 

chapel.  H.  Thane  Miller  of  Cincinnati  led  the 
meeting.  For  an  hour  we  instructed  and  en- 
couraged our  convict  hearers  to  seek  salvation 
and  to  lead  Christian  lives.  Brother  Miller  sang 
with  wonderful  effect  the  "  Old,  Old,  Story." 
The  prisoners  were  deeply  moved,  and  many 
were  in  tears.  While  thus  affected  by  the 
truth,  and,  we  hope,  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Brother  Miller  asked  that  all  who  desired  to  be 
saved  and  to  have  an  interest  in  our  prayers  to 
raise  a  hand.  Hundreds  of  uplifted  hands 
responded,  and  fervent  prayer  was  offered  in 
their  behalf. 

THE  NATIONAL  PRISON  REFORM  CONGRESS. 
In  October,  1870,  this  congress  held  its  annual 
meeting  in  Cincinnati.  Twenty-two  States 
were  represented  by  three  hundred  delegates. 
Governor  R.  B.  Hayes  of  Ohio,  presided,  with 
Governor  Baker  of  Indiana,  vice  president. 
In  this  grave,  dignified,  and  cultured  congress, 
were  the  leading  men  and  women  of  our 
country  discussing  for  several  days  the  subjects 
of  penology  and  prison  reform. 

In  their  presence,  it  was  my  privilege,  at  the 
request  of  the  committee  of  arrangements,  to 
prepare  and  read  a  paper  on  the  place  and 
power  of  religious  instruction  in  prisons  and 
reformatories.  Instead  of  apologizing  for  the 
introduction  of  religious  instruction,  or  pre- 


300  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

senting  theories  and  speculations  on  the  subject, 
I  assumed  that  convicts  were  not  only  trans- 
gressors of  human,  but  of  Divine  laws,  sinners 
before  God,  and  needed  peace  and  pardon  in 
order  to  be  truly  reformed ;  that  the  gospel  of 
the  Son  of  God,  was,  when  accepted,  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation,  to  every  outcast  dead  in 
trespasses  and  in  sin.  Facts  from  my  personal 
knowledge  of  the  religious  instruction  imparted 
to  adults,  as  well  as  juvenile  criminals,  result- 
ing in  their  reformation,  were  my  arguments  in 
its  favor.  My  illustrations  were  the  methods 
adopted  in  the  Ohio  Reform-school  in  impart- 
ing religious  instruction  in  the  family,  the 
chapel  and  the  Sunday-school.  The  discussion 
that  followed  the  reading  of  the  paper,  in  its 
drift  commended  the  principles  and  methods 
that  were  presented.  This  congress  did  much 
in  arousing  the  public  mind  to  the  prevention 
of  crime,  as  well  as  the  treatment  of  the  crimi- 
nal, to  the  enactment  of  just  and  humane  laws 
on  the  subject  of  punishment,  and  the  manage- 
ment of  prisons  and  reformatories. 

A  NEW  DECADE.  From  1870  to  1880  I 
spent  in  Sunday-school  missionary  labors  asso- 
ciated with  my  fellow  missionaries,  in  attend- 
ing state,  county,  and  township  conventions, 
holding  grove-meetings,  preaching  to  large 
audiences  of  young  people  connected  with  our 


UNION   AT   HOME   AND  ABROAD.  301 

Sunday-schools,  and  as  opportunity  offered, 
visiting  penal,  reformatory  and  charitable  insti- 
tutions, glad  to  find  improvement  in  their  man- 
agement, and  the  increase  of  public  interest  in 
their  welfare  and  sympathy  with  their  inmates. 

The  winters  I  generally  spent  East  laboring 
for  the  society,  giving  information  of  its  opera- 
tions, and  raising  funds  for  its  support.  These 
labors  were  rendered  pleasant  and  successful 
by  the  confidence,  endorsement,  and  coopera- 
tion of  influential  ministers  and  Sunday-school 
officers  interested  in  my  mission.  Two  of  my 
esteemed  fellow-laborers  in  the  West,  Rev.  John 
McCullagh  of  Kentucky,  and  Stephen  Paxson 
of  Illinois,  were  often  my  associates,  efficient 
helpers  when  East,  brethren  beloved  in  the 
Lord,  ready  for  every  good  word  and  work. 
Both  have  been  released  from  their  cherished 
Sunday-school  missionary  work,  and  have 
entered  upon  "  an  inheritance,  incorruptible, 
and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away." 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  In  April,  1879,  I  was 
invited  to  attend  the  half  century  memorial  of 
the  first  Sundaj-school  I  established  in  1829  in 
Radnor,  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  the  home  of 
my  youth,  and  where  are  the  honored  graves 
of  my  venerated  parents  and  kindred.  The 
citizens,  agriculturists,  thrifty  and  prosperous, 
and  generally  religious,  descendants  of  the  old 


302  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

pioneers,  made  great  preparations  for  commem- 
orating this  occasion.  We  met  in  the  Baptist 
church,  near  the  spot  where  the  log  chapel 
stood,  and  where  fifty  years  before  the  Sunday- 
school  banner  was  first  unfurled.  I  took  with 
me  some  relics  of  that  early  school,  a  piece  of 
the  old  log  chapel  built  in  1817,  the  early 
records  of  the  school,  and  a  book,  "  The  Dairy- 
man's Daughter,"  that  belonged  to  the  first 
library  that  I  bought  at  Gambier,  Ohio.  Many 
years  ago  I  secured  these  mementos  of  my  first 
Sunday-school  work.  These  relics  are  now 
safely  preserved  with  some  documents  relating 
to  the  school,  entrusted  to  safe  hands,  in  a  tin 
box,  to  be  opened  at  the  centennial  in  A.  D., 
1929. 

The  Roll  Call.  In  the  presence  of  a  very 
large  audience,  holding  the  old  record  in  my 
hand,  I  called  the  names  of  the  original  schol- 
ars and  members  of  the  Sunday-school  Society, 
but  there  was  no  response.  I  was  the  only 
survivor  present.  Two  of  the  scholars  were 
alive ;  one,  by  reason  of  infirmity,  was  not 
present ;  another  lived  at  a  distance  and  could 
not  attend.  After  the  roll  call,  the  congrega- 
tion deeply  affected,  I  delivered  an  address, 
with  reminiscences  of  my  boyhood  pioneer 
days,  our  schools,  our  religious  meetings,  and  a 
memory  picture  of  the  first  Sunday-school,  its 


UNION   AT   HOME   AND  ABROAD.  303 

officers  and  scholars,  three  of  whom  became 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  faithful  heralds  of  the 
cross,  serving  God  and  their  generation. 

This  interesting  memorial  day  filled  my  soul 
with  mingled  emotions.  The  workmen  cease, 
but  the  work  of  God  moves  on ;  generations 
pass  away,  but  true  and  faithful  witnesses 
remain  ;  strong  shoulders  are  still  under  the 
ark  of  God,  and  saved  souls  rejoice  in  his  salva- 
tion. The  old  log  chapels  had  given  way  to 
five  brick  or  stone  houses  of  worship,  and  five 
Sunday-schools  beautified  the  moral  landscape. 
There  never  was  a  saloon  in  the  township,  nor 
a  native  pauper  (one  born  in  the  township). 
A  convict  had  never  been  the  product  of  this 
Christian  community. 

This  celebration,  continuing  two  days,  the 
unusual  religious  interest  it  excited,  made 
impressions  deep  and  abiding  in  regard  to  the 
importance  and  value  of  Christianity  and  the 
institutions  it  originates  and  fosters — the  fam- 
ily, the  school  and  the  church. 

THE  ROBERT  RAIKES  CENTENARY  IN  LON- 
DON. After  forty-three  years  of  missionary 
service  under  the  auspices  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union,  the  Board  of  Managers 
appointed  me  to  represent  the  National  Society 
at  the  Raikes  Centenary  to  be  held  in  London, 
in  June,  1880.  With  a  beloved  daughter,  a 


304  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

graduate  of*  the  Oxford  Western  Female  Semi- 
nary, Oxford,  Ohio,  an  earnest  and  happy 
Christian  (now  and  forever  with  the  Lord), 
leaving  care  and  labor  behind,  we  left  New 
York  the  29th  of  May,  and  after  a  pleasant 
vo};rage  of  nine  days  'on  the  good  steamship 
"Egypt,"  we  reached  Liverpool,  and  the  next 
day  we  were  at  the  great  Metropolis. 

Amidst  its  wonders  we  spent  three  weeks  in 
sight-seeing,  hearing  distinguished  preachers  in 
church  and  chapel,  visiting  and  addressing  Sun- 
day-schools, reformatory,  humane  and  charita- 
ble institutions  with  which  London  abounds, 
realizing  that  the  eye  is  never  satisfied  with 
seeing,  nor  the  ear  with  hearing,  nevertheless 
we  were  delighted  and  instructed. 

The  London  Sunday- School  Union.  The  old- 
est organization  for  the  promotion  of  Sunday- 
school  interests  (except  the  First  Day  Society 
of  Philadelphia)  was  founded  in  1803.  Its 
building,  No.  56,  Old  Bailey,  is  a  valuable  and 
commodious  structure  well  arranged  for  the 
transaction  of  the  large  and  increasing  business 
within  its  walls,  chiefly  the  publication  and 
distribution  of  the  excellent  juvenile  literature 
it  publishes  and  extensively  circulates  in  Great 
Britain  and  its  dependencies. 

The  delegates  that  responded  to  the  invita- 
tion of  the  London  Sunday-school  Union 


UNION   AT   HOME   AND  ABROAD.  305 

numbered  nearly  eight  hundred ;  of  these  205 
were  from  the  United  States,  and  forty-four 
from  Canada.  Over  three  hundred  were  for- 
eigners representing  fourteen  Christian  nation- 
alities, and  nearly  all  the  evangelical  denomi- 
nations in  Christendom,  a  grand  showing  of  the 
extent  of  the  Sunday-school  cause,  and  the 
spirit  of  Christian  unity  and  cooperation  iu  its 
support. 

Our  head-quarters  were  at  the  Sunday-school 
Union  building,  where  we  were  cordially  wel- 
comed and  registered.  Our  first  meeting  was 
in  the  large  hall  of  the  Union,  for  the  purpose 
of  introducing  the  foreign  delegates  to  their 
English,  Scotch,  Irish  and  Welsh  fellow-labor- 
ers, a  most  enjoyable  occasion.  Sir  Charles 
Reed,  M.  P.,  the  eminent  educator  and  philan- 
thropist, presided,  and  gave  us  a  hearty  Chris- 
tian welcome  to  which  several  brief  responses 
were  made.  After  spending  a  half  hour  in 
hand-shaking  and  conversation,  we  were  invited 
to  partake  of  the  hospitality  of  the  Union  in  a 
social  tea  which  we  all  enjoyed. 

The  first  public  meeting  was  held  in  Guild- 
hall, a  grand  historic  building,  the  Lord  Mayor 
of  London  in  the  chair.  His  address  of  wel- 
come breathed  the  spirit  of  brotherly  kindness, 
and  appreciation  of,  and  sympathy  with  us  in 
the  Sunday-school  work.  He  was  followed  by 

20 


306  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Lord  Hatherley, 
who  said  "that  he  had  enjoyed  the  privilege, 
the  honor  and  pleasure  of  being  a  Sunday-school 
teacher  for  forty  years."  This  statement  from 
the  heart  and  lips  of  a  peer  of  the  realm  elicited 
long  and  hearty  applause.  The  Earl  of  Aber- 
deen, Dr.  Punshon  and  Dr.  J.  H.  Vincent,  were 
also  heard  in  short  and  telling  addresses. 

This  inaugural  service  was  the  only  meeting 
in  which  the  Established  Church  of  England 
participated.  For  four  days  we  met  in  the 
Memorial  Hall,  Great  Faringdon  street.  The 
first  half  hour  each  day  was  spent  in  devotional 
exercises,  interesting  and  profitable.  Well 
prepared  addresses,  or  papers,  were  heard, 
followed  with  free  discussion  frequently  elicit- 
ing ideas  of  practical  value.  The  London 
Union  provided  a  noon  lunch,  palatable  and 
abundant,  so  that  our  time  was  saved  and  our 
sociability  gratified.  This  was  a  great  favor 
and  a  kindness  from  the  Union  which  we  all 
appreciated  and  enjoyed.  In  the  evenings  popu- 
lar meetings  were  held  in  Exeter  Hall,  and 
other  places  in  London,  and  addresses  mostly 
by  foreign  delegates  were  made  to  crowded 
audiences.  On  Wednesday  we  had  an  outing 
to  the  Crystal  Palace,  with  a  grand  concert, 
10,000  scholars  uniting  in  a  service  of  sacred 
song. 


UNION    AT    HOME    AND    ABROAD.  307 

On  Friday  evening,  a  communion  service 
was  held  in  the  Metropolitan  Tabernacle,  Rev. 
Charles  H.  Spurgeon,  pastor,  presiding.  The 
ground  floor,  seating  2500,  was  occupied  by 
communicants  admitted  by  ticket,  and  the 
galleries  crowded  with  spectators.  Mr.  Spur- 
geon was  at  his  best,  in  reading  hymns,  prayer 
and  address,  his  heart  glowing  with  love,  and 
his  tongue  with  burning  eloquence.  He  told 
the  story  of  Calvary,  and  the  redeeming  work 
of  the  Crucified  One  with  wonderful  effect,  a 
blessed  preparation  to  receive  the  symbols  of 
his  broken  body  and  shed  blood.  Disciples  of 
our  Lord  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  uniting  in 
the  celebration  of  the  love  of  Christ  and  his 
vicarious  sacrifice  for  sin,  made  a  memorable  and 
soul-inspiring  occasion,  a  manifestation  of  Chris- 
tian unity,  a  foretaste  of  the  communion  of 
saints  around  the  great  white  throne. 

On  Saturday,  an  immense  concourse  of  people 
gathered  on  the  Victoria  Embankment  (a  prom- 
inent location  given  by  Her  Majesty  for  the 
purpose)  to  witness  the  unveiling  of  a  beautiful 
marble  statue  of  Robert  Raikes  of  Gloucester, 
erected  by  the  Sunday-schools  of  England.  On 
the  platform  stood  a  world-known  and  honored 
Christian  nobleman,  the  Earl  of  Shaftsbury,  who, 
at  the  close  of  his  interesting  and  inspiring 
address,  with  an  arm  trembling  with  age,  pulled 


308  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  string  and  the  veil  fell  from  the  statue  amid 
the  shouts  of  thousands.  This  was  an  enthusi- 
astic and  fitting  termination  of  a  week  of  com- 
memorative services  in  honor  of  the  devout 
journalist,  the  Christian  philanthropist  whom 
God  raised  up  to  be  the  founder  of  Sunday- 
schools  for  the  religious  education  of  unborn 
millions. 

A  PICTURE  DISCOVERED.  When  I  was  nine 
years  old  in  my  quiet  home  in  Wales,  an  artist 
took  my  picture.  All  that  I  remember  about  it 
is  that  my  mother  gave  me  bread  and  butter 
with  sugar  on  it  for  staying  in  the  house  while 
the  artist  was  at  work.  I  was  the  only  male 
child  in  the  connection,  and  an  aunt  in  Lon- 
don, my  father's  eldest  sister,  desired  the  picture 
taken,  and  it  was  sent  to  her. 

My  father,  a  young  and  enterprising  trades- 
man, left  Wales  for  the  United  States,  and 
landed  in  New  York  in  1794,  and  there  spent 
four  or  five  years  working  at  his  trade.  He 
soon  acquired  the  English  language,  and  became 
thoroughly  Americanized  in  his  views  of  civil 
and  religious  freedom.  In  1799  he  returned  to 
Wales  and  married  my  mother,  intending  to 
return  to  America  at  once,  but  circumstances 
led  him  to  remain  in  Wales  and  engage  in 
business.  By  the  death  of  a  brother  he  inherited 
a  small  leasehold  near  Bala.  He  found  it  worn 


lier.e  .Lin 

tkere  is  my-   .ucrurn 


UNION    AT    HOME    AND   ABROAD.  311 

out  and  unproductive,  and  before  he  improved 
it  he  commuted  the  tithe,  to  pay  so  much 
money  instead  of  the  tithe  in  kind.  Applying 
labor  and  fertilizers,  he  raised  good  crops  and 
the  tenth  became  of  much  greater  value  than 
the  commutation. 

The  parish  rector  sent  his  tithing-master  into 
my  father's  fields,  and  took  the  tenth  of  the  pro- 
ducts in  the  face  of  a  legal  written  contract. 
My  father,  a  Non-conformist,  a  conscientious 
dissenter  from  the  Established  Church,  never 
attended  worship  in  the  church,  but  was  a 
regular  worshipper  in  the  chapel  of  the  Dissent- 
ers ;  yet  he  was  compelled  t6  pay  the  tithe, 
and,  voluntarily,  to  support  his  own  pastor. 
This  violation  of  a  written  contract  by  the  parish 

«/  J. 

rector,  a  flagrant  and  outrageous  wrong,  my 
father  resisted,  and  sought  justice  in  the  civil 
court.  But  the  rector  gained  the  case,  Caesar 
had  no  justice  for  the  oppressed  Dissenter.  His 
American  and  Christian  ideas  led  him  to  dispose 
of  his  property,  and  with  his  wife,  daughter, 
and  son,  to  emigrate  to  the  land  of  the  free. 

When  I  visited  Wales  in  1835  and  in  1839, 
diligent  inquiries  were  made  about  that  picture, 
but  no  clue  of  its  whereabouts  could  be  found. 
At  the  close  of  one  of  our  evening  meetings 
during  the  centenary  week  in  London,  a  gentle- 
man came  to  me  and  said : 


312  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

"To-day  I  saw  a  placard  announcing  that 
you,  a  delegate  from  America,  were  to  speak 
here.  My  wife  is  a  daughter  of  your  cousin, 
Morris  Roberts  in  Wales,  and  she  is  very 
anxious  to  see  you." 

The  next  day,  we  dined  at  his  pleasant  home. 
In  conversation,  I  spoke  of  the  picture  sent  to 
London  sixty-one  years  before.  My  kinsman, 
so  unexpectedly  found,  said  : 

"  Why,  I  have  often  seen  the  picture  and 
admired  it,  and  it  is  now  safely  held  by  Mrs. 
Green,  the  daughter-in-law  of  your  aunt,  to 
whom  the  picture  was  sent  sixty-one  years  ago." 

We  soon  finished  our  dinner,  and  hastened 
through  the  streets  of  London  to  find  the  aged 
custodian  of  the  picture.  She  gave  me  a  cordial 
reception,  glad  to  meet  a  cousin  of  her  late  and 
beloved  husband,  saying  : 

"My  mother-in-law  used  to  speak  often  and 
kindly  of  her  brother  that  went  to  America 
long,  long  ago,  where  he  died  leaving  a  widow 
and  two  children,  and  that  the  son  became  a 
minister  of  the  gospel.  When  she  died  years 
ago,  she  gave  the  picture  of  her  American  neph- 
ew, a  small  boy  in  Wales,  to  my  late  husband, 
charging  him  to  keep  it  safely,  and  when  he 
died  he  left  the  picture  in  my  care,  a  sacred 
treasure,  and  it  is  now  in  my  possession." 

She  sent  a  servant  up-stairs  for  the  picture 


UNION    AT    HOME    AND    ABROAD.  313 

that  I  might  see  it.  As  I  held  the  antique 
frame,  ten  by  eight  inches  in  size,  in  my  hand, 
realizing  what  it  was,  astonishment  and  delight 
filled  my  soul.  My  emotions  were  indescribable. 
Amazed,  my  hand  trembling,  I  beheld  the  face 
and  form  of  a  small  boy  dressed  in  a  blue  jacket 
and  a  white  frill  around  his  neck,  holding  in  his 
right  hand  the  United  States  flag,  the  glorious 
red,  white  and  blue,  its  beautiful  folds  richly 
displayed,  and  the  fore  finger  of  his  left  hand 
pointing  to  a  legend  in  English,  "  Where  liberty 
dwells  there  is  my  country."  Then  I  felt  pro- 
foundly that  it  was  my  liberty-loving  father 
expressing  on  that  canvas  the  love  of  freedom 
and  a  free  country,  deep  down  in  his  own  heart, 
and  his  desire  that  his  little  boy  should  inherit 
his  spirit  and  spend  his  life  in  that  country 
where  liberty  dwells. 

When,  in  1819,  that  picture  was  taken,  I 
knew  nothing  of  America,  only  as  the  country 
for  apples,  and  I  had  no  knowledge  of  the 
English  language.  My  eyes  were  enchained  to  the 
picture,  and  my  soul  absorbed  in  its  signifi- 
cance. My  honored  father,  in  his  grave  since 
1821,  in  his  principles  and  character  stood  be- 
fore me,  and  anew  won  my  warmest  love,  ven- 
eration and  honor.  For  over  sixty  years  it  had 
been  sacredly  preserved  in  the  family.  The 
aged  lady  held  it  as  sacred  trust,  and  allowed 


314  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

me  to  take  it  to  a  photographer,  but  his  work 
was  unsatisfactory.  I  returned  the  picture,  and 
left  London.  I  had  some  correspondence  With 
her,  and,  before  I  left  Wales,  she  kindly  sent 
me  the  picture,  with  the  following  letter : 

il  I  prize  the  picture  very  highly  for  my  husband's  sake, 
but  I  can  understand  that  you,  and  your  children,  and 
theirs,  will  appreciate  and  preserve  it ;  therefore,  with  my 
kind  regards  to  you  and  your  daughter,  I  send  it  to  you 
with  my  best  wishes  that  you  may  have  a  safe  journey  to 
your  distant  home  in  America." 

To-day,  the  picture,  beautiful  as  a  work  of 
art,  with  clear  and  bright  colors,  the  flag,  and 
the  legend,  is  held  as  a  sacred  relic,  and  admir- 
ed by  my  five  surviving  children,  my  nineteen 
grand,  and  five  great-grand  children.  Its  won- 
derful preservation  for  so  many  years,  hid  away 
in  private  residences,  and  its  unexpected  dis- 
covery, give  increasing  interest  and  pleasure  in 
its  possession.  The  lesson  it  inculcates  of  the 
value  of  family  ties,  and  the  power  of  parental 
influence  on  the  character  and  lives  of  their 
children,  is,  by  this  simple  narrative,  illustrated 
and  enforced. 

DEPUTATION.  At  the  close  of  the  centenary 
meetings  in  London,  I  was  invited,  with  two 
other  foreign  delegates,  to  go  to  different  cities 
in  England  and  Wales  to  aid  in  centenary  cele- 
brations. We  found  the  arrangements  well 
made,  and  the  trip  very  enjoyable.  English 


UNIOX   AT   HOME   AND   ABROAD.  315 

hospitality  of  the  most  genial  kind  abounded, 
and  we  were  always  with  friends,  whose  Chris- 
tian fellowship  contributed  largely  to  our  com- 
fort and  pleasure. 

At  Gloucester,  the  native  pi  ace  of  the  modern 
Sunday-school,  the  idea  of  teaching  ignorant  and 
neglected  youth  on  the  Lord's  day  the  truths  of 
the  Bible,  that  they  might  know  God  and  serve 
him,  was  made  practical.  The  idea,  heaven- 
born  in  the  soul  of  Robert  Raikes,  was  a  combi- 
nation of  humanity  and  religion  to  benefit  the 
rude,  thoughtless,  and  ignorant  youth  of  Glou- 
cester. It  is  said  that  his  original  purpose  was 
threefold :  to  teach  good  manners,  to  give  in- 
struction in  letters,  and,  especially,  to  impress 
religious  truth  on  the  mind  and  heart  of  the 
young. 

In  that  city  we  remained  two  days,  holding 
public  meetings  for  prayer,  praise,  and  ad- 
dresses, laying  the  corner-stone  of  the  "  Robert 
Raikes  Memorial  Hall,"  costing  $35,000,  to  be 
used  for  educational  and  religious  purposes,  a 
worthy  tribute  to  the  memory  and  services  of  a 
great  and  good  man,  and  witnessing  a  proces- 
sion of  8000  Sunday-school  scholars,  teachers 
and  friends,  and  addressing  them  in  the  open 
air,  a  field  full  of  people,  well-ordered  and  at- 
tentive. 

After  our  four  o'clock  cup  of  tea,  delicious 


316  THE   STORY   OF   MY  LIFE. 

and  refreshing,  our  kind  host,  at  our  request, 
became  our  guide  to  the  house  where  Mr. 
Raikes  and  Mary  Davis,  his  employed  help,  held 
the  first  Sunday-school.  We  passed  the  great 
cathedral.  The  Sunday-school  was  not  born 
within  its  magnificent  walls.  It  is  said  that  as 
the  school  increased  it  found  a  home  in  the 
crypt  of  the  cathedral,  and  there  flourished, 
Mr.  Raikes  and  his  faithful  band  of  hired  teach- 
ers sustaining  it,  teaching  good  manners,  letters, 
and  religion. 

Entering  Catherine  street,  and  looking  diag- 
onally, we  saw  the  old  house,  the  lower  story 
of  brick,  with  a  door  and  a  window,  the  upper 
of  conglomerate  material  with  one  large  win- 
dow. There  the  birthplace  of  the  Bible-school 
stood,  just  as  it  did  a  century  ago.  We  gazed 
in  silence,  and  with  interest,  on  its  unpretend- 
ing and  antiquated  front.  I  inquired  of  our 
host  if  we  could  not  go  in.  He  thought  not, 
as  it  was  a  private  dwelling.  However,  I  ven- 
tured to  cross  the  street,  and  as  I  approached  the 
door  I  saw  an  old-fashioned  knocker.  Before 
reaching  my  hand  to  use  it,  I  thought  that 
the  hand  of  Robert  Raikes  had  used  it  a 
hundred  years  ago.  In  this  re  very  of  thought, 
I  let  fall  the  knocker,  and,  at  once,  a  pleasant 
lady  responded.  I  told  her  that  I  was  from 


UNION   AT   HOME   AND   ABROAD.  317 

America,  and  desired  to  enter  the  room  where 
Mr.  Raikes  began  his  Sunday-school. 

"  Please  come  in,  sir.  Many  people,  some 
from  your  country,  have  visited  our  house  this 
summer." 

"  May  I  invite  some  friends  who  are  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  sir.     Ask  them  to  come." 

I  beckoned,  and  we  all  followed  the  kind  land- 
lady through  the  front  room,  in  the  rear  of 
which  was  a  narrow  stair- way.  Ascending,  we 
entered  a  room  occupying  the  entire  second 
story.  Here,  one  hundred  years  before,  from 
the  hand  of  faith  and  love,  fell  the  little  seed, 
that  blessed  of  God,  produced  a  great  tree  be- 
neath whose  branches  20,000,000  of  the  human 
race  are  now  receiving  religious  instruction 
from  an  open  Bible,  and  the  godly  lips  of  men 
and  women  as  teachers  of  the  word. 

We  stood  on  its  uncarpeted  oaken  floor  in  si- 
lent awe,  and  profound  thought  of  the  man  and 
his  work.  A  lady  broke  the  silence,  and  said : 

"  I  feel  that  we  should  have  two  prayers,  one 
of  thanksgiving  for  a  century  of  Sunday-school 
history,  and  another  of  supplication  for  the  Di- 
vine blessing  on  the  new  century." 

Two  of  us  opened  our  lips,  pouring  out  our 
hearts  in  thanksgiving,  and  in  supplication  before 
the  Mercy  Seat ;  and  we  could  say,  as  the  patri- 


318  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

arch  did  of  old,  "  Surely,  the  Lord  is  in  this 
place." 

Our  stay  in  Gloucester  was  exceedingly 
pleasant  and  profitable.  Our  entertainment 
afforded  us  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the 
every-day  home  life  in  an  intelligent,  refined, 
and  religious  family  in  the  middle  walks  of  life; 
and,  we  must  say,  such  a  home  is  a  great  bless- 
ing to  all  concerned,  a  foretaste  of  the  purity, 
love,  and  happiness  we  anticipate  in  the  heav- 
enly home. 

From  Gloucester  we  went  to  Exeter,  an  old 
cathedral  city,  with  a  castle,  and  walls  falling 
into  decay.  Here  we  spent  two  days  in  appro- 
priate commemorative  services.  A  mass  meet- 
ing of  3000  scholars  was  held  in  the  castle  yard, 
with  singing,  addresses,  and  a  tea  on  a  large 
and  bountiful  scale,  which  with  good  order  and 
cheer  the  scholars  greatly  enjoyed.  The  day 
meetings  for  conference  and  addresses  were 
held  in  Non-conformist  chapels.  In  the  evening 
we  assembled  in  the  spacious  and  beautiful  Vic- 
toria Hall.  Here  each  speaker  had  a  resolution 
which  he  presented  and  supported.  One  of 
these  was  offered  by  Bishop  Temple,  then  of 
Exeter,  now  of  London,  and  sustained  in  a  very 
practical  and  effective  address. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   SEEIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS. 

DEPARTURE  FOR  WALES.  After  our 
deputation  work  was  finished  in  England, 
on  a  very  lovely  day  we  left  Exeter,  several  of 
our  friends  accompanying  us  to  the  station, 
where  we  booked  for  Llangollen.  During  the 
day,  we  passed  some  of  the  garden  spots  of  old 
England,  well-cultivated  farms  and  thriving 
villages.  At  Shrewsbury,  an  old,  antiquated 
city,  we  were  delayed  several  hours  which  we 
employed  in  sight-seeing,  well  reconciled  to. the 
detention.  In  the  evening  we  reached  our  des- 
tination, and  found  comfortable  quarters  in  the 
"  Hand  "  hotel,  a  good  specimen  of  Welsh  hos- 
telry. 

Here,  once  more  in  my  native  land,  I  was 
prospered  in  my  way,  rejoicing  in  the  favor  and 
goodness  of  God.  We  lingered  several  pleas- 
ant hours  in  and  around  this  quaint  old  Welsh 
town,  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  vale  of  Llan- 
gollen. At  noon  we  left  for  Dolgelley,  a  dis- 
taince  of  forty  miles  up  the  valley  of  the  Dee, 
skirting  the  shore  of  Llyn  Tegid  (Bala  lake) 

(319) 


320  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

and  the  base  of  the  Aran  and  Arenig  range  of 
mountains,  and  after  this  pleasant  experience 
of  railroad  travelling  in  the  Principality,  we 
reached  the  pleasant  home  of  my  kinsman, 
John  Chidlaw  Roberts,  and  his  estimable  wife, 
to  find  a  cordial  welcome  from  the  only  rela- 
tive I  had  in  the  land  of  my  fathers,  and  the 
home  of  my  childhood. 

In  this  old  town,  with  its  narrow,  crooked 
streets,  under  the  shadow  of  Cadair  Idris,  the 
next  to  the  highest  mountain  in  Wales,  where 
we  found  the  ruins  of  the  Parliament  House  of 
the  heroic  liberty-loving  Christian,  Owen  Glyn- 
dwr,  the  decayed  walls  of  Kenirev  Abbey,  the 
Torrent  and  Precipice  walks,  an  old  parish 
church,  two  English  and  five  Non-conformist 
chapels,  our  time  was  pleasantly  and  profitably 
employed,  enjoying  the  grandest  natural  scenery 
in  the  Principality. 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL  UNION  OP  WALES 
held  its  annual  conference  in  Cwrn  Rhondda, 
South  Wales,  a  locality  celebrated  for  its  ex- 
tensive coal  mines.  As  a  representative  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  a  Welsh- 
American  who  could  use  in  public  address  the 
grand  old  vernacular,  I  was  very  well  received 
by  this  large  and  influential  body  of  four  hun- 
dred ministers  and  laymen.  Three  days  were 
devoted  to  the  reading  of  well-prepared  papers, 


A   SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  321 

and  in  preaching  orthodox,  eloquent,  and  in- 
structive sermons  to  crowded  and  enthusiastic 
congregations. 

One  afternoon,  Rev.  T.  Rees,  D.  D.,  of  Swan- 
sea, author  with  Rev.  John  Thomas,  D.  D.,  of 
an  elaborate  history  of  Non-conformity  in 
Wales,  introduced  me  to  the  conference,  but  his 
introduction  was  until  the  last  moment  a  per- 
plexity. He  said  :  "  In  gathering  material  for 
my  history,  I  had  occasion  to  ask  the  favor  from 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  examine  some 
old  records  in  the  archives  of  the  Lambeth 
Palace  library  in  London.  The  favor  was 
granted,  and  in  my  examination  I  found  that 
John  and  Arthur  Chid  law  of  the  town  of  Llan- 
fyllin,  were  fined  forty -two  shillings  for  allowing 
their  domicile  to  be  used  as  a  conventicle.  And 
now,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  a  lineal 
descendant  of  those  stanch  old  Non-conformists 
of  Huguenot  origin,  refugees  from  Britanny  in 
France  when  the  Edict  of  Nantes  was  revoked." 

This  revelation  was  an  embarrassment,  a  real 
confusion  in  my  mind,  but  I  delivered  my 
address  as  best  I  could.  As  I  sat  down,  the 
chairman  came  to  me  and  said  : 

"  Another  large  chapel  near  by  is  crowded 
with  people  that  want  to  hear  you,  and  here  is 
a  minister  who  will  take  you  there." 

With  considerable  crowding  we  got  out  of 
21 


322  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

the  chapel,  and  my  second  address  was  well 
received  by  my  attentive  hearers.  In  Wales, 
the  subject  of  Sunday-schools  never  fails  to 
interest  the  people,  and  this  was  much  in  my 
favor. 

The  information  given  by  Dr.  Rees  in  regard 
to  my  ancestors,  led  me  to  visit  pfaces  and  to 
examine  old  records.  I  found  that  Rev.  John 
Chidlaw  (my  father's  uncle)  had  been  pastor 
of  the  Crook's  street  chapel,  Chester,  from  1751 
to  his  death  in  1800.  Rev.  Matthew  Henry,  tho 
celebrated  commentator,  was  a  predecessor  of 
my  great  uncle.  Near  the  front  door,  in  the 
church-yard,  I  found  his  grave,  with  this 
inscription  on  a  slab  of  granite  now  broken  in 
three  pieces: 

"  REV.  JOHN  CHIDLAW, 

DIED,  APRIL  18,  1800, 

Aged  76  years." 

The  janitor  showed  me  two  solid  silver 
goblets  used  in  the  communion  service  with 
this  inscription : 

"  THE  LEGACY  of  MBS.  MAEY  SEVAN, 

IN  1745, 

TO  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHUBCH 
AT  CROOK'S  STREET,  CHESTER." 

The  church  is  now  Unitarian,  has  a  large 
endowment,  and  supports  an  alms-hou&e  for 
aged  and  impoverished  people,  that  stands  in 


A   SERIES  OF  CELEBRATIONS.  323 

the  church-yard  ;  but  the  congregation  is  small, 
and  the  church  feeble.  I  called  on  the  pastor, 
a  very  pleasant  gentleman,  rather  discouraged 
in  his  pastorate. 

LABORS  IN  WALES.  Accepting  invitations 
to  preach  in  the  Welsh  language,  and  to 
participate  in  Sunday-school  centenary  memorial 
services,  kept  me  employed  for  nearly  two 
months,  delighted  with  the  people  with  whom. 
I  was  associated,  the  interest  taken  in  our 
meetings,  and  the  opportunities  for  usefulness 
that  I  enjoyed. 

At  Denbigh,  a  large  town  in  the  vale  of 
Clwyd,  the  garden  spot  of  Wales,  the  cen- 
tenary was  enthusiastically  observed.  As  all 
of  the  Non-conforming  population  united,  the 
Sunday-school  host  was  out  in  its  strength. 
The  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young,  master  and 
servant,  attended  the  chapel  Sunday-school,  so 
they  formed  in  a  grand  line,  a  detachment  of 
3000  teachers  and  scholars  and  with  banners 
and  song  they  paraded  the  streets  and  halted  at 
the  "  Y  Groes  "  (the  cross)  on  a  public  square, 
formed  in  compact  order,  sang  two  Welsh 
hymns,  and  listened  to  several  short  addresses. 
Then  the  crowd  dispersed  in  seven  divisions  to 
as  many  halls  and  chapels,  where  they  were 
refreshed  with  tea,  a  bara  breth  (tea  and  fruit 
bread),  the  usual  Welsh  menu  for  such  occa- 


324  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

sions,  abundant  and  delicious.  I  visited  several 
of  these  tea  parties,  and  I  never  witnessed  the 
social  element  of  the  Sunday-school  work  more 
happily  developed  and  enjoyed. 

In  a  large  hall,  when  tea  was  over,  perfect 
order  prevailing,  I  thought  the  crowd  was  in 
temper  and  tune,  ready  for  a  Welsh  Sunday- 
school  song.  At  my  request,  a  favorite  and  well- 
known  hymn  was  rendered  with  all  the  fervor 
and  sweet  melody  of  these  Welsh  hearts  and 
voices  inspired  by  the  love  of  Christ,  the  Bible 
and  the  Bible  school.  The  last  verse  was 
repeated  over  and  over  again,  and  the  excite- 
ment bordered  on  what  in  the  days  of  western 
camp-meetings,  pure  and  simple,  we  used  to 
call  "  rousements,"  yet  there  was  no  confusion 
or  disorder,  but  a  high  tide  of  religious  emo- 
tions in  full  flow. 

In  the  procession  I  observed  a  large  class  of 
laboring  men,  most  of  them  in  middle  life.  On 
inquiry,  I  found  that  it  was  a  Bible  class 
seventy  strong,  gathered  into  one  of  the  schools, 
taught  and  held  by  a  young  woman  of  intelli- 
gence, apt  to  teach,  and  consecrated  to  her 
chosen  work  of  Bible  teaching,  helping  these 
men  heavenward. 

During  my  sojourn  in  the  land  of  chapels, 
Bibles,  Sunday-schools,  Sabbath  observance, 
and  a  pure  literature  (no  infidel  or  immoral 


A    SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  325 

publications  have  ever  been  published  in  the 
Welsh  language)  the  power  and  elevating 
moral  and  social  influence  of  Christianity  on 
family  life  was  everywhere  seen  and  felt. 

On  a  summer  day,  as  I  was  walking  on  the 
highway,  I  saw  a  flow  of  clear  pure  water  gush- 
ing out  of  a  ledge  of  rocks.  I  desired  to  enjoy 
the  limpid  beverage,  but  could  not  reach  it. 
On  the  road  side,  in  front  of  a  cottage,  were  a 
group  of  children.  I  asked  the  eldest  if  she 
would  let  me  have  u  cup.  In  her  pure  Welsh, 
with  a  sweet  voice,  she  said  : 

"  Yes,  sir.  Please  take  a  chair  in  the  house, 
and  I  will  bring  you  some  water." 

I  did  so,  and  seeing  a  rather  dilapidated 
Bible  on  a  table,  I  took  it  in  my  hand.  Just 
then,  the  little  girl  brought  me  the  water,  and 
passed  on.  Soon  she  returned  with  a  large  and 
well  bound  Bible,  and  said,  holding  the  Bible  : 

"  Sir,  this  is  our  best  Bible.  The  one  you 
hold  is  mother's  every -day  Bible." 

This  is  just  what  is  needed  in  all  our  homes, 
cottage  or  palace,  "  Mother's  every-day  Bible," 
to  bless,  purify,  and  elevate  domestic  life,  to 
save  our  children,  and  to  secure  and  perpetuate 
morality  and  religion  in  the  world. 

HOME  AGAIN.  Early  in  September,  1880, 
refreshed  in  body  and  mind,  and  enriched  in 
Christian  experience,  we  left  our  kind  friends 


326  THE   STORY   OP   MY   LIFE. 

in  Wales,  had  a  prosperous  voyage,  pleasant 
companions,  and  a  safe  return  to  our  country, 
home,  and  work.  In  New  York,  I  had  a  very 
pleasant  interview  with  Mr.  E.  S.  Jaffray,  a 
prominent  merchant  of  that  city,  who  for  many 
years  had  sustained  my  Sunday-school  mission, 
whose  confidence  and  liberality  cheered  my 
heart  and  strengthened  my  hands  in  my  mis- 
sionary work,  and  still  in  word  and  deed  he 
bids  me  "  God-speed  "  as  the  servant  of  God. 

Under  these  circumstances,  though  the  bur- 
den of  years  was  resting  lightly  on  me,  I 
resumed  my  old  lines  of  work  as  missionary  of 
the  American  Sunday-School  Union,  serving  the 
State  as  trustee  of  Miami  University  and  of  the 
Reform-school  for  Boys,  and  doing  what  I 
could  in  behalf  of  criminals,  paupers,  old  and 
young,  the  outcast  and  the  fallen.  Often  dis- 
appointed and  discouraged  in  these  labors,  and 
almost  fainting  in  the  way  by  my  failures,  my 
confidence  in  God  and  in  my  fellow-men  has 
never  utterly  failed.  My  investment  of  time, 
heart,  and  hand,  for  Christ's  sake,  in  the  cause 
of  sin-burdened,  ignorant,  hardened,  and 
degraded  humanity,  has  paid.  A  boy  or  girl 
rescued  from  an  evil  life,  a  pauper  aided  to 
relieve  himself  of  pauperism,  and  a  criminal 
becoming  a  law-abiding,  honest  man,  a  good 


A   SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  327 

citizen,  are  dividends  of  higher  value  than  gold 
or  silver,  rejoicing  the  heart  and  honoring  God. 

MY  ORDINATIOX  REMEMBERED.  The  lapse 
of  half  a  century  did  not  erase  from  memory 
the  name  and  services  of  a  young  pastor  in  the 
congregation  where  he  was  ordained  in  1836. 
The  descendants  of  the  godly  pioneers  of 
Paddy's  Run,  among  whom  I  labored  in  the 
gospel  for  six  years  in  connection  with  my 
Sunday-school  missionary  service,  invited  me  in 
May,  1836,  to  a  memorial  meeting  commemorat- 
ing my  ordination  fifty  years  before.  My  Sun- 
day-school boys  and  girls  and  their  children 
were  the  strong  men  and  women  whose  shoul- 
ders bore  the  ark  of  God,  faithfully  bearing  the 
heat  and  burden  of  the  day.  Death  had  swept 
away  all  but  two  of  the  then  members  of  the 
church. 

The  services  were  held  in  the  new,  spacious, 
and  beautiful  house  of  the  Lord,  decorated 
with  lovely  and  fragrant  flowers,  and  crowded 
with  an  intelligent  and  sympathetic  audience. 
One  ex-pastor,  Rev.  Ellis  Howell  of  Riley,  and 
several  neighboring  ministers  of  different 
denominations  were  present.  I  read  an  histori- 
cal sketch  of  the  church  organized  with  four 
members  in  1803,  and  biographical  notices  of 
my  predecessors,  Rev.  John  W.  Browne,  Rev. 
Thomas  Thomas,  Rev.  Rees  Lloyd,  and  Rev. 


328  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

Thomas  Roberts,  pioneer  heralds  of  the  cross, 
able  and  faithful  ministers  of  the  gospel  among 
the  log  cabin  homes  in  the  valley  of  the  Great 
Miami. 

After  an  interesting  address  by  Rev.  D.  F. 
Davies,  the  present  pastor,  honoring  the  mem- 
ory of  the  departed  and  encouraging  the  living, 
and  presenting  the  old  pastor  with  an  address, 
beautifully  engrossed  on  parchment,  a  hand- 
some and  bountiful  collation  was  served  in  the 
grove,  a  feast  replete  with  old-time  friendship 
and  sociability. 

A  FAMILY  CELEBRATION.  On  reaching  the 
seventy-fifth  mile-stone  in  the  journey  of  life,  in 
our  pleasant  home  my  beloved  wife,  as  usual, 
commemorated  my  birthday.  In  addition  to 
the  gathering  of  our  own  children  and  grand- 
children, her  goodness  of  heart  and  sympathy 
with  children,  secured  the  presence  of  the  boys 
and  girls  of  the  "  Children's  Home  "  in  Cincin- 
nati to  share  with  us  the  festivities  of  the  day. 
M.  E.  Ingalls,  Esq.,  president  of  the  Big  Four 
Railway,  kindly  furnished  transportation  for 
forty  children  and  their  attendants.  At  our 
station,  eighteen  miles  out,  farm  wagons  and 
carriages  met  our  guests,  and  the  ride  of  a  mile 
was  greatly  enjoyed.  Entering  our  grove, 
carpeted  with  green  sod  and  overshadowed  by 
old  forest  trees,  these  little  folks  full  of  life  and 


A   SERIES  OF  CELEBRATIONS.  331 

glee,  scrambled  out  of  the  wagons,  and  as  one 
of  them  said  "  pitched  in  for  fun."  Soon  one 
of  them  found  some  sleigh  bells.  Throwing  the 
strap  over  his  shoulders,  and  calling  lustily  for 
followers,  he  started  on  a  run.  The  larger  chil- 
dren fell  in  line,  and,  with  shouts,  made  several 
rounds,  merry  as  crickets,  a  hopeful  beginning 
for  a  good  time  in  their  outing. 

After  partaking  of  country  bread  and  butter, 
with  plenty  of  pure  rich  milk,  they  amused 
themselves  in  plays  and  games.  I  took  some 
of  the  large-r  boys  to  a  field,  where  harvesting 
was  going  on.  One  of  them,  holding  several 
heads  of  wheat  in  his  hands,  said  to  his  com- 
rade :  "  Johnnie,  this  is  what  bread  is  made  of." 

"No,"  said  Johnnie,  "you  cannot  fool  me. 
How  can  bread  be  made  out  of  that  hairy  kind 
of  stuff?" 

Incredulous  Johnnie  appealed  to  me,  if  it  was 
so.  The  boys  gathered  around  me,  attentive 
listeners,  while  I  explained  the  threshing,  grind- 
ing and  baking.  Satisfied  with  the  information 
given,  they  watched  the  self-binder  with  new 
interest. 

At  noon,  the  children  were  called  to  dinner. 
A  long  table  was  extemporized  in  the  grove,  the 
boys  on  one  side  and  the  girls  on  the  other. 
After  repeating  in  concert  the  23rd  Psalm  and 
the  Lordjs  Prayer,  they  with  a  good  appetite 


332  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

and  a  cheerful  heart,  partook  of  chicken  pot- 
pie,  cold  ham,  vegetables,  and  the  et  ceteras. 
Their  manners  would  have  honored  any  dining- 
room  in  the  land.  Before  leaving,  at  the  close 
of  the  day  so  pleasantly  spent,  they  were 
treated  to  lemonade,  cake  and  ice-cream,  home- 
made. When  in  the  wagons,  ready  to  leave, 
they  gave  with  a  will  three  hearty  cheers  for 
Mrs.  Chidlaw,  and  left  us,  singing  one  of  their 
favorite  songs.  To  us,  the  day  was  filled  with 
pleasure,  and  we  were  sure  that  our  guests, 
homeless  and  dependent,  so  well  cared  for  at 
the  "  Childrens'  Home,"  and  their  kind  attend- 
ants were  equally  delighted  with  the  day  spent 
in  the  country,  its  novelties  and  amusements. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  GOLDEN  ANNIVERSARY. 
In  June,  1886,  the  State  Sunday-school  Con- 
vention was  held  in  Troy,  a  large  and  beautiful 
town  in  the  Miami  valley,  Rev.  J.  A.  P.  McGaw, 
D.D.,  of  Toledo,  presiding.  Nearly  all  the 
counties  in  the  State  were  represented.  The 
report,  read  by  the  secietary,  Rev.  C.  N. 
Pond  of  Oberlin,  showed  the  good  results  in 
uniting  and  concentrating  the  Sunday-school 
forces  in  the  State. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day,  I  was 
invited  to  a  seat  on  the  platform,  and,  to  my 
surprise,  the  president  announced,  "  that  the 
first  hour  would  be  devoted  to  a  golden  anni- 


A   SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  333 

versary,  commemorating  fifty  years  of  Sunday- 
school  missionary  service  in  Ohio  and  Indiana 
by  the  venerable  servant  of  God  now  at  my 
side."  Then,  in  behalf  of  the  convention,  he 
presented  me  with  the  following  engrossed 
address,  signed  by  over  two  hundred  active, 
faithful  and  successful  Sunday-school  officers, 
teachers,  and  friends  all  over  the  State. 

"DEAB  BROTHER  AND  FRIEND: — As  delegates  to  the 
Ohio  State  Sunday-school  Union  Convention,  representing 
all  parts  of  our  great  Commonwealth,  we  cannot  suffer  the 
half  century  of  work  which  Divine  Providence  has  per- 
mitted you  to  do  among  us,  to  close  without  giving  expres- 
sion to  our  appreciation  and  esteem. 

"As  the  representative  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  you  largely  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Sunday- 
school  work  of  our  State,  amid  the  dangers,  and  privations 
of  frontier  life.  The  monuments  of  your  early  sacrifices 
and  labors  stand  in  every  portion  of  the  State.  In  almost 
every  county  in  Ohio  your  voice  has  been  heard,  pleading 
for  the  children,  and  not  pleading  in  vain. 

"  We  come,  therefore,  to  express  our  appreciation  of 
all  these  arduous  labors,  to  thank  you  for  the  beneficial 
influences  they  have  brought  into  our  own  lives,  and  to 
assure  you  of  our  high  esteem  and  kindly  affection.  We 
congratulate  you,  that  you  have  lived  long  enough  to  see 
the  tearful  time  of  sowing  give  place  to  a  glad  and  an. 
abundant  harvest. 

"  We  congratulate  you,  that  the  generation  of  children 
whom  you  loved,  and  for  whom  you  labored,  are  to-day 
crowding  about  you,  speaking  your  name  in  cadence  of 
affection  ;  and  what  is  better,  taking  up  the  work  you 
begun,  and  realizing  for  you  ambitions  whose  realization 
no  single  life  can  compass. 

'•  We  congratulate  you,  that  labors  and  years  have  not 
brought  weariness,  but  perennial  freshness  and  power. 

"  We  hope,  that  the  Indian  summer  of  your  life  may  be 
bright  and  golden,  and  made  happy  by  the  contemplation 
of  the  many  sheaves  you  have  brought  into  the  Master's 
garner.  We  cherish  the  hope,  that  you  may  be  permitted 


334  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

long  to  remain  among  us,  to  counsel  and  to  inspire.  Should 
not  many  of  us  look  upon  your  face  any  more  upon  earth, 
we  trust  to  see  you  in  the  eternal  youthfulnessof  the  celes- 
tial body  that  awaits  you. 

"  Accept  this  tribute  of  respect,  admiration  and  love  we 
bring  you  to-day,  representing  as  we  do,  not  only  ourselves, 
but  the  great  army  of  Sunday-school  workers  in  the  State 
of  Ohio." 

At  a  later  hour  the  adults  retired,  the  Sun- 
day-school scholars  of  Troy  marched  into  the 
church  with  glad  hearts,  banners,  and  song. 
Again  I  was  called  to  the  platform  to  address 
the  juvenile  throng.  As  I  sat  down  fifty  young 
girls  dressed  in  white  came  to  the  platform, 
bearing  significant  and  lovely  floral  offerings, 
1836-1886,  a  Bible,  and  a  crown,  which  they 
gracefully  presented  to  the  old  missionary, 
and  in  concert  recited  an  original  poem  written 
for  the  occasion. 

An  old  comrade  in  arms,  Surgeon  O.  O. 
Nixon,  M.  D.,  of  the  39th  O.  V.  I.,  now  editor 
of  the  "  Chicago  Inter-Ocean,"  refers  to  this 
occasion,  and  writes : 

"The  venerable  Dr.  B.  W.  Chidlaw,  of  Cleves,  Ohio,  at 
the  late  State  Sunday-school  Convention  held  in  Troy, 
Ohio,  was  presented  with  floral  offerings  by  the  youth  of 
Troy,  and  a  memorial  address  by  the  convention  in  com- 
memoration of  fifty  years  of  Sunday-school  missionary 
work  in  the  State,  laboring  fur  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union.  Dr.  Chidlaw  was  chaplain  of  the  Thirty- 
Ninth  Ohio  during  the  war,  and  was  one  of  the  active  and 
patriotic  men  who  exerted  a  large  influence  in  moulding 
public  sentiment.  Few  men  have  more  faithfully  and 
modestly  and  heroically  filled  a  larger  place.  To  all  the 
old  soldiers  of  his  command,  he  is  their  ideal  man." 


A   SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  335 

THE  FIRST  SETTLEMENT  OF  OHIO.  At  the 
end  of  the  first  century  of  the  history  of  our 
great  and  prosperous  State,  on  the  State  Fair 
Grounds  near  Columbus,  extensive  buildings 
were  erected,  and  special  preparations  made  for 
the  centennial  celebration.  Ohio,  in  her  agri- 
cultural and  mineral  resources — in  the  enter- 
prise, industry  and  skill  of  her  citizens — in  art 
and  science — in  education  and  religion — made 
an  imposing  display.  Days  were  appointed  for 
special  gatherings  and  services.  Among  these 
was  the  Sunday-school  day,  recognizing  the 
institution  as  an  important  factor  in  the  educa- 
tional, moral,  and  religious  welfare  of  society. 
Invited  by  the  committee  of  arrangements,  I 
was  present  on  that  day,  and  delivered  an 
address  on  the  past,  present,  and  future  of  the 
Sunday-school  in  Ohio. 

The  Coliseum,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
4000,  was  crowded  with  representatives  of  the 
700,000  teachers  and  scholars  in  the  State, 
besides  the  thousands  of  people  the  building 
could  not  accommodate.  This  great  outpour- 
ing of  adults  and  }-outh,  pervaded  by  a  patriotic 
and  religious  spirit,  so  enthusiastic,  the  singing 
and  praying  and  addresses  made  the  Sunday- 
school  day  notable  and  long  to  be  remembered. 

FLOOD  IN  THE  OHIO  VALLEY.  In  1883,  for 
ten  days  an  unprecedented  flood  swept  through 


336  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  Ohio  valley,  and  its  devastation  was  felt  by 
a  hundred  thousand  sufferers  in  the  loss  of 
property,  but  as  far  as  known  not  a  human  life 
was  lost.  I  reached  my  home  on  the  last  train 
before  the  railroad  became  impassible,  and  was 
water-bound  for  nearly  two  weeks.  We  suf- 
fered no  loss,  but  much  inconvenience  for  the 
want  of  communication  with  the  outside  world. 
During  the  flood  the  weather  was  unusually 
mild,  "  The  Lord  sat  on  the  flood,"  and  the 
people  compelled  to  flee  from  their  homes  were 
mercifully  preserved  in  their  exposure  from 
death. 

As  soon  as  the  water  subsided  and  I  could 
reach  Cincinnati,  I  made  my  way  afoot,  on 
horse-back,  and  in  a  boat,  from  North  Bend  to 
the  city,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  The  work 
of  ruin  was  fearful.  The  sufferers  were  labor- 
ing people,  living  in  shanties.  These  were 
crushed  by  driftwood  or  washed  away,  and  their 
occupants  were  sheltering  as  best  they  could 
with  those  who,  on  ground  above  the  flood,  had 
not  been  driven  from  their  homes. 

At  the  request  of  the  Relief  Committee  in 
Cincinnati,  I  volunteered  to  examine  the  con- 
dition of  the  sufferers  along  the  Ohio  from 
Delhi  to  the  Gravel  Pit,  a  distance  of  ten  miles, 
and  those  who  suffered  from  the  back-water  of 
the  Ohio  river.  At  once,  amid  mud  and  debris, 


A   SERIES  OF   CELEBRATIONS.  337 

I  performed  the  duty  and  reported.  I  was  then 
invited  to  be  the  almoner  of  their  relief,  in- 
structed to  afford  such  aid  in  money  as  would 
enable  the  sufferers  to  re-occupy  their  damaged 
or  destroyed  dwellings — to  help  them  to  help 
themselves. 

On  the  side  of  a  hill,  in  sight  of  his  shattered 
house,  sad  and  disconsolate,  I  found  an  honest 
industrious  man  that  I  had  known  for  years. 
A  carpenter  was  with  me.  We  carefully  exam- 
ined the  wreck,  and  he  thought  $45  would 
repair  the  damage.  I  asked  the  man  what  he 
could  do  to  help  himself. 

"  I  have  no  money  and  no  work.  I  am  very 
bad  off." 

I  contracted  with  the  carpenter  to  do  the 
work,  and  when  satisfactorily  finished  he  would 
be  paid.  Another  man,  his  wife  and  children, 
whose  shanty  had  been  demolished,  and  parts 
of  it  carried  away,  was  in  straits  and  discour- 
aged. He  was  a  reliable  man,  but  very  poor. 
He  said : 

"  I  paid  twenty  dollars  for  my  shanty  a  few 
months  ago,  and  now  it  will  take  fifteen  dollars 
at  least  to  fix  it  so  that  we  can  live  in  it.  I 
have  no  money  to  buy  boards  and  nails,  and  at 
present  I  have  no  work.  If  I  had  boards  and 
nails  I  could  soon  fix  it  up." 

I  handed  him  fifteen  dollars,  and  a  more  sur- 
22 


338  THE   STORY    OF    MY   LIFE. 

prised  and  grateful  man  I  never  saw,  and  his 
poor  wife  wept  for  joy,  thankful  to  the  Relief 
Committee  for  the  help  thus  unexpectedly- 
received.  In  three  days,  carefully  examining 
the  condition  of  thirty-five  families,  I  afforded 
according  to  my  best  judgment  such  relief  as 
met  their  present  necessities. 

A  steamboat  sent  with  a  valuable  cargo  of 
provisions,  groceries,  clothing,  shoes  and  bed- 
ding by  the  United  States  Government  was 
timely,  and  afforded  greatly  needed  aid  all 
along  the  destructive  pathway  of  the  flood. 

CEDAK  RAPIDS,  IOWA,  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  MIS- 
SIONARY CONVENTION.  F.  G.  Ensign  of  Chi- 
cago, the  efficient  and  successful  missionary 
superintendent  for  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  in  the  North-west,  invited  me  as  an  old 
fellow-laborer  to  attend  a  missionary  conven- 
tion to  be  held  at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  Nov.  4, 
1886.  Thirty  missionaries  in  the  North-west 
district  were  in  attendance,  and  a  large  number 
of  prominent  and  active  Sunday-school  workers 
from  different  parts  of  that  great  field.  Gov. 
Merrill  of  Iowa,  presided,  a  Christian  statesman 
and  philanthropist,  and  a  special  friend  of  the 
Sunday-school  cause. 

It  was  highly  gratifying  to  meet  these  co- 
laborers,  fresh  from  their  work  amid  the  sod 
houses  of  Nebraska  and  the  dug-outs  of  Dakota, 


A   SERIES   OF   CELEBRATIONS.  339 

the  prairies  of  Kansas  and  the  pineries  of 
Michigan.  Popular  addresses  were  delivered  to 
large  congregations  by  Rev.  Dr.  Goodwin  of 
Chicago,  Rev.  G.  H.  Griffin  of  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  Thomas  Cochran,  Esq.,  of  St. 
Paul,  Minnesota,  and  other  able  advocates  of 
the  mission  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  for  the  Christian  education  and  evan- 
gelization of  the  heterogeneous  and  destitute 
population  of  the  North-west. 

The  most  of  our  time  for  four  days  was  spent 
in  conference  with  special  reference  to  the 
extension  and  permanency  of  our  work  in 
establishing  and  sustaining  schools.  One  session 
of  four  hours  was  devoted  to  the  relation  of 
personal  experience,  how  we  entered  the  mis- 
sionary service  and  our  methods  of  work.  This 
was  a  royal  feast  of  "  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wine 
on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow."  The 
experience  of  these  brethren  reminded  me  of 
my  own  among  the  log  cabins  of  Ohio  and 
Indiana  half  a  century  ago.  One  of  these 
brethren,  Rev.  G.  P.  Williams,  of  Bismarck, 
Dakota,  in  relating  his  experience,  said  : 

"I  was  brought  up  in  Ohio,  near  Marietta. 
My  parents  were  religious,  and  concerned  for 
the  salvation  of  their  children.  I  attended  and 
delighted  in  our  Sunday-school,  was  converted 
in  early  life,  and  united  with  the  church.  I 


340  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

worked  with  my  father  with  no  settled  purpose 
respecting  the  use  I  would  make  of  my  life.  A 
strange  minister  preached  in  our  church  a  ser- 
mon in  behalf  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  describing  its  missionary  work,  and  the 
great  need  of  Sunday-schools  all  over  the 
country.  My  mind  became  prayerfully  inter- 
ested in  this  missionary  work.  I  entered  on  a 
course  of  education,  and  in  due  time  became  a 
missionary.  That  strange  preacher  was  our 
•veteran  fellow-laborer,  Brother  Chidlaw." 

I  heard  this  statement  with  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  the  honor  conferred  upon  me,  in  lodging 
the  claims  of  Christian  duty  in  the  mind  and 
heart  of  my  youthful  hearer ;  and  now,  to  greet 
him  a  successful  and  devoted  Sunday-school 
missionary  in  the  wilds  of  Dakota.  Our  con- 
vention socialty  and  religiously,  was  of  great 
advantage  to  all  its  members ;  and  we  separated, 
our  hearts  warmed  and  encouraged,  our  spirit- 
ual life  invigorated  and  our  zeal  inspired  to 
do  more  and  better  work  for  the  Master. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ABOUNDING  IN  LABORS. 

THE  VALLEY  CAMP.  Near  Pittsburg  was  the 
place  where  the  delegates  of  the  Christian 
Commission  and  army  chaplains  held  their 
tenth  reunion,  July,  1887.  Geo.  H.  Stuart  pre- 
sided with  his  usual  affability  and  efficiency. 
Our  ranks  were  thinning  out  and  were  so  scat- 
tered, that  the  attendance  was  small ;  but 
the  public  services  were  well  attended  by 
interested  visitors.  A  Confederate  chaplain  was 
present,  an  earnest  Christian  and  gifted  in 
speech.  His  society  and  addresses  did  us  all 
good. 

One  day,  in  addressing  an  audience  on  the 
part  taken  by  the  women  as  ministering  angels 
in  our  hospitals,  I  described  the  diet  kitchen  at 
Nashville,  where  I  found  several  ladies  from 
Pittsburg,  at  work  preparing  and  distributing 
nutritious  food  and  delicacies  among  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  At  the  close  of  my 
address  a  gentleman  came  to  the  platform,  and 
said: 

"  One  of  those  ladies  who  served  God  and 

(341) 


34:2  THE    STORY    OF    MY    LIFE. 

her  country  in  the  diet  kitchens  at  Nashville,  is 
present  and  desires  to  shake  hands  with  the  old 
chaplain,  her  fellow-laborer  in  the  Cumberland 
Hospital."  I  was  delighted  to  be  introduced  to 
Miss  Morehead,  a  noble  Christian  lady,  a  genuine 
sister  of  charity,  patriotic  and  self  sacrificing  in 
her  labors  of  love. 

DEATH  IN  THE  FAMILY.  September  14th, 
1886,  suddenly,  and  to  us  very  unexpectedly, 
our  dear  daughter,  Mary  Irene,  wife  of  Charles 
A.  Wood,  Esq.,  departed  this  life.  Her  "  sun 
went  down  while  it  is  yet  day."  A  graduate 
of  the  Western  Female  Seminary,  Oxford, 
Ohio,  brought  up  in  the  nurture  and  admoni- 
tion of  the  Lord,  and  an  early  convert,  her 
life  from  childhood  was  hid  with  Christ,  in  God, 
and  faithfully  devoted  to  his  service.  In  the 
relation  of  daughter,  sister,  wife  and  friend,  she 
was  filial,  devoted,  true,  and  kind.  Her  life 
was  a  continued  sunshine  of  domestic  happiness, 
cheer  and  usefulness. 

The  Womans'  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Cleves  Presbyterian  church,  in 
regard  to  her  character  and  life,  passed  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  Resolved,  that  we  deem  it  due  to  the  memory  of  Mrs. 
Mary  Chidlaw  Wood,  and  as  a  record  of  the  valuable 
service  she  rendered  to  the  cause  of  missions,  to  make 
known  in  this  public  manner  the  appreciation  of  the  society 
of  her  efficient  service  as  our  secretary  since  the  society 


ABOUNDING   IN  LABORS.  343 

was  organized  ;  and  for  the  many  valuable  papers  she  pre- 
pared and  read  at  our  meetings  ;  and  that  we  extend  to 
her  bereaved  husband,  and  to  the  members  of  her  father's 
house,  our  sympathy  and  prayers." 

She  possessed  a  literary  and  a  poetic  taste, 
which  she  assiduously  cultivated  for  her  own 
benefit  and  that  of  others. 

A  dear  friend  lost  by  death,  a  sweet  and 
promising  child  five  years  of  age,  Edna  Pearl 
H.,  for  her  consolation  of  the  bereaved  mother 
she  wrote  the  following  lines.  They  were  read 
with  wonderful  pathos  at  her  funeral  by  Rev. 
D.  F.  Davis.  Then  the  sweet  poetry  had  be- 
come a  reality  to  the  now  sainted  writer. 

"NOT  LOST  BUT  GONE  BEFOEE." 

"  In  that  fair  celestial  city, 

Whose  streets  are  of  purest  gold, 

Where  sorrow  never  enters, 
Whose  glories  are  untold ; 

"  There  angels  bright  were  gathering 
Jewels  most  precious,  and  rare, 

A  crown  with  their  gems  adorning, 
For  the  King  of  kings  to  war. 

"One jewel,  now  was  lacking, 

A  pearl  most  pure  and  bright 
Worthy  to  adorn  his  crown,  and  shine 

In  heaven's  vast  halls  of  light. 

"  So,  a  white-winged  heavenly  messenger 
Down  to  our  earth  takes  flight  ; 

And,  he  finds  a  pearl  of  beauty 
Purer  than  morning's  light. 


344  THE    STOKY   OF    MY    LIFE. 

"  He  gathers  the  pearl  in  his  bosom, 

Cloud  curtains  are  drawn  aside  ; 
And  he  bears  thy  '  Pearl '  to  heaven 

Through  sunset  gates  open'd  wide. 
"  O  heart  overburdened  with  sorrow, 

With  grief  to  the  earth  bowed  down, 
Leave  thy  '  Pearl '  in  the  Saviour's  keeping 

Lent,  to  adorn  his  crown." 

DEATH  INVADES  THE  HOME.  In  the  spring 
of  1888,  evidence  of  failing  health  excited 
alarm  in  regard  to  my  beloved  wife,  and  soon 
our  apprehensions  culminated  in  the  conviction 
that  she  was  suffering  from  a  fatal  malady. 
Aware  of  her  condition,  she  was  resigned  to 
the  will  of  God — a  patient,  uncomplaining  suf- 
ferer. She  enjo}7ed  the  best  medical  treatment, 
kind  and  faithful  nursing ;  but,  all  of  no  avail, 
her  days  on  earth  were  soon  to  be  numbered, 
and  her  precious  life  would  close  in  death.  Al- 
ways in  good  health,  vigorous,  cheerful  and 
happy,  we  could  with  difficulty  realize  that  she 
was  passing  the  dark  valley,  to  leave  her  earthly 
for  her  heavenly  home. 

At  the  age  of  sixty-two  years  she  died  peace- 
fully, July  3,  1888.  For  forty  and  six  years 
she  had  been  my  true  and  loving  wife,  the  joy 
of  my  heart,  and  the  light  of  my  home.  All 
that  a  husband  could  desire  in  happy  compan- 
ionship, sympathy  and  helpfulness,  he  realized 
in  her  character,  life,  and  conversation.  To  me 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  345 

her  death  was  an  irreparable  loss ;  but  to  her 
an  eternal  gain. 

The  "  Cincinnati  Commercial  Gazette  "  of 
the  4th  had  this  memorial : 

"The death  of  Mrs,  Rebecca  Hughes  Chidlaw,  wife  of 
Rev.  B.  W.  Chidlaw,  at  her  pleasant  home  near  Cleves, 
made  a  profound  impression  on  that  community  where  she 
was  born  and  always  resided.  She  possessed  many  of  the 
virtues  which  adorn  female  character  and  secure  a  noble 
and  useful  life.  The  heart  of  her  husband  safely  trusted  in 
her.  She  made  the  world  better  by  her  unselfish  life  and 
devotion  to  the  wants  and  interests  of  humanity.  Her 
religious  life  commenced  in  her  youth,  and  for  fifty  years 
she  honored  her  profession,  exemplified  the  spirit  and  teach- 
ings of  her  Saviour,  and  died  triumphantly  in  the  faith. 
She  left  her  aged  and  sorrow-stricken  husband,  her  chil- 
dren and  children's  children,  the  inheritance  of  a  good 
name  and  a  useful,  honored  life." 

Revs.  Street,  Davies  and  Carson,  dear  breth- 
ren in  the  Lord,  conducted  the  funeral  service  ; 
and  six  of  our  grandsons  were  the  pall-bearers 
that  carried  the  remains  of  their  venerated 
grandmother  to  the  Berea  cemetery,  and  with 
loving  hands  laid  her  to  rest  with  her  three 
children  and  her  honored  parents,  brothers  and 
sisters,  till  the  day  of  immortal  awakening. 

While  the  empty  chair  at  home,  and  the  new- 
made  grave  at  Berea  told  of  my  great  loss,  and 
burdened  my  heart  with  grief,  God  mercifully 
came  to  my  relief.  The  numerous  letters  of 
condolence  from  friends  all  over  the  country, 
the  loving  ministrations  of  my  children  and 
.  neighbors,  and  resuming  my  usual  labors 


346  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

cheered  my  heart  and  alleviated  my  sorrow. 
These  were  a  rift  in  the  cloud,  and  the  sunshine 
of  divine  favor  brightened  my  sky,  and,  in  his 
light,  I  saw  light,  and  could  say,  "it  is  the 
Lord."  I  kissed  the  rod,  and  rejoiced  in  tribu- 
lation, thankful  for  the  support  and  comfort 
that  sustained  me. 

OLD  OCEAN  VISITED.  To  us  who  suffer 
from  malaria,  and  need  rest,  an  escape  from  the 
Miami  valley  to  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  dur- 
ing the  heated  term  is  a  great  blessing  as  well 
as  pleasant  recreation.  At  Asbury  Park,  inhal- 
ing pure  oxygen,  fanned  by  the  ocean  breezes, 
and  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  music  of  its  waves, 
we  found  health  and  rest.  Swimming  in  smooth 
water  beyond  the  breakers,  rocked  in  the  cradle 
of  the  deep,  I  greatly  enjoyed,  quartered  pleas- 
antly in  the  "  Curlew  House  "  where  God  was 
honored,  and  the  guests  met  daily  around  the 
family  altar,  in  sweet  Christian  fellowship,  soul 
and  body  were  refreshed  and  cheered. 

PREACHING  TO  SOLDIERS.  While  entering 
and  enjoying  my  new  surroundings  at  Asbury 
Park,  I  was  invited  to  hold  divine  service  in 
Camp  Green,  at  Sea  Girt.  The  preparation  of 
a  sermon  gave  me  employment  that  I  found 
very  pleasant,  reviving  many  and  interesting 
memories  of  my  chaplainship  in  the  39th 
O.  V.  I. 


ABOUNDING   IN  LABORS.  347 

On  Saturday  afternoon  I  reported  for  duty. 
Colonel  Cooper,  of  the  5th  N.  J.  National  Guards, 
received  me  with  the  warm-hearted  greeting  of 
a  soldier,  and  I  was  assigned  quarters  in  the 
chaplain's  tent.  Pleasantly  domiciled  in  my 
well-furnished  and  comfortable  quarters  I  felt 
much  at  home.  Messing  with  the  officers 
brought  me  in  contact  with  Christian  gentlemen 
of  high  character.  On  my  cot  I  rested  well 
till  the  reveille  Sunday  morning.  The  quarter- 
master had  a  programme  published  with  three 
hymns  and  responsive  scriptural  reading. 

At  11  A.  M.  the  church  call  was  sounded, 
and  my  congregation  soon  assembled  on  the 
parade  ground,  each  soldier  with  his  camp 
stool  and  printed  programme.  The  audience 
was  large  and  seated  in  a  hollow  square  pre- 
senting an  inspiring  scene  to  the  eye  and  heart 
of  the  old  chaplain.  Gov.  Green,  Generals 
Ferine  and  Sewell  with  their  staff  officers  were 
on  my  left  and  a  large  number  of  visitors  on 
my  right.  My  pulpit  was  extemporized  by  the 
drummer  boys  placing  two  drums,  one  on  the 
other,  and  covering  them  with  an  india  rubber 
blanket.  Our  singing  was  led  by  the  regi- 
mental band,  the  soldiers  joining  heartily. 

My  sermon  was  founded  on  the  text 
"  Blessed  is  the  nation  whose  God  is  the  Lord ; 
and  the  people  whom  he  hath  chosen  for  his  own 


348  THE    STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

inheritance."  Ps.  33:  12.  Our  closing  hymn, 
"  Guide  me  O  thou  great  Jehovah,"  was  ren- 
dered with  fervor  and  voice  that  expressed  the 
tone  of  religious  feeling  pervading  the  congre- 
gation, worshipping  God  beneath  the  canopy  of 
his  own  heavens  in  a  great  military  encamp- 
ment. I  was  delighted  to  find  so  many  of  these 
soldiers  and  officers  brethren  in  Christ,  his 
avowed  followers  with  their  banners  on  the 
outer  wall  on  the  tented  field. 

A  WIGWAM  MEETING.  Lest,  while  resting 
at  the  park  I  should  rust,  I  was  privileged  to 
attend  a  county  Sunday-school  convention  near 
Jamesburg.  A  lovely  grove  and  an  immense 
wigwam  surrounded  by  tents  was  our  Bethel, 
and  it  was  crowded.  Pastor  Everett  was  our 
leader,  and  he  was  equal  to  the  occasion.  Sev- 
eral addresses  were  delivered  with  good  sing- 
ing, and  followed  with  a  plentiful  dinner.  The 
leader  gave  the  crowd  an  hour  and  a  half  for 
what  he  called  "  visiting."  From  the  general 
hand-shaking  that  followed  and  the  lively  con- 
versations, these  Jersey  people  were  all  friends, 
and  very  friendly,  and  the  convention  a  good 
place  to  enjoy  such  a  social  feast. 

At  the  close  of  these  enjoyable  services, 
rather  wearied  with  the  work  and  excitement 
of  the  day,  I  was  invited  to  visit  and  spend  the 
night  at  the  New  Jersey  Reform-school  for 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  349 

Boys,  a  few  miles  away.  With  the  superin- 
tendent, Mr.  Osterman,  his  subordinates  and 
his  300  boys,  I  was  quite  at  home.  We  had 
chapel  service  in  the  evening  and  a  serenade  by 
the  band  before  I  retired. 

This  school  is  located  on  a  good,  large  farm, 
well  cultivated.  It  is  on  the  family  plan ;  a 
home,  and  not  a  prison.  The  buildings  are 
good  and  well  arranged.  The  time  of  the  boys 
is  divided  between  labor,  study  and  recreation, 
and  a  nice  bed  for  eight  hours  of  sleep.  They 
are  well  fed,  comfortably  clothed,  and  under 
good  wholesome  discipline.  This  institution, 
so  well  managed,  with  its  educational,  reforma- 
tory and  religious  agencies  faithfully  employed, 
is  an  honor  and  a  blessing  to  the  state  that 
supports  it. 

THE  PKESBYTERIAN  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY. 
At  the  spring  meeting  of  the  Cincinnati  Pres- 
bytery I  was  chosen  one  of  its  commissioners 
to  the  Assembly  to  meet  in  New  York,  May  16, 
1889.  For  this  token  of  the  confidence  and 
kindness  of  my  sixty-five  ministerial  brethren 
and  the  elders  I  felt  truly  grateful.  The 
assembly  numbered  500  commissioners.  We 
were  in  session  nearly  two  weeks,  and  trans- 
acted with  despatch  and  harmony  a  large 
amount  of  important  ecclesiastical  business. 

Two  subjects  were  prominent,  the  Board  of 


350  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Publication  and  the  revision  of  the  standards. 
These  subjects  elicited  a  lively,  fraternal  and 
protracted  discussion,  and  the  end  is  not  yet. 
Our  social  intercourse  at  the  hotels  where  we 
were  entertained  by  the  way,  and  in  the  vesti- 
bule of  the  church  was  very  cordial  and  genial. 
A  seat  in  such  an  assembly,  and  fellowship 
with  such  brethren,  is  a  red  letter-day  in  the 
life  of  a  gospel  minister  to  be  cherished  with 
pleasure  when  toiling  on  his  own  field  far,  far 
away. 

HOSPITALITY.  The  Presbyterians  of  New 
York,  with  their  recognized  liberality  and 
kindness,  gave  the  Assembly  a  grand  reception 
in  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House.  The  ad- 
dresses and  the  collation,  a  royal  feast,  occupied 
three  hours  spent  on  the  high  places  of  Chris- 
tian sociability.  Eliot  F.  Shepherd,  Esq.,  a  prom- 
inent citizen  well  known  for  his  liberality  and 
good  deeds,  invited  the  Assembly  to  an  excur- 
sion on  the  steamer  "Sirius."  About  1000 
members  of  the  Assembly  and  their  friends,  a 
very  happy  and  sociable  crowd  were  on  board. 
We  steamed  up  the  Hudson  several  miles, 
delighted  with  the  scenery.  Entering  the  har- 
bor of  New  York,  charmed  with  the  sights  on 
sea  and  shore,  we  made  our  course  for  the 
"  Bruen  Home  "  for  aged  ministers  and  their 
wives  at  Perth  Amboy,  where  we  spent  an  hour 


ABOUNDING   IN  LABORS.  351 

with  twenty-five  aged  and  worthy  friends,  com- 
fortable and  cheerful,  waiting  for  the  rest  that 
remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.  As  we 
started  for  Sandy  Hook,  we  were  served  with  a 
very  handsome  lunch,  and  as  the  sea  air  had 
been  a  good  appetizer,  the  repast  was  greatly 
enjoyed. 

The  lower  bay  was  enveloped  in  a  dense  fog, 
and  to  many  who  had  never  seen  Old  Ocean,  it 
was  a  real  disappointment.  Cautiously  steam- 
ing in  the  fog,  we  slowly  made  our  way  to  port, 
delighted  with  our  excursion. 

THE  Pious  PILGRIMAGE.  On  the  platform 
of  the  Assembly,  Rev.  Dr.  Crosby,  in  his  inim- 
itable way,  tendered  the  invitation  of  the  fac- 
ulty of  the  Theological  Seminary  to  visit 
Princeton,  which  he  felicitously  called  "the 
Westminster  Abbey  of  Presbyterians."  At  the 
appointed  place  and  hour,  eight  hundred  mem- 
bers of  the  Assembly  and  invited  friends  met, 
boarded  a  special  train,  and  in  good  time 
reached  Princeton.  Here  we  were  at  once 
invited  to  a  splendid  lunch  elegantly  served. 
We  marched  to  Marquand  Hall,  and  were 
addressed  by  President  Patton,  Rev.  W.  C. 
Roberts,  D.D.,  moderator  of  the  Assembly,  and 
others.  Then  we  visited  the  buildings,  looked 
into  the  library,  rambled  in  the  beautiful 
grounds,  listened  to  the  songs  and  cheers  of 


352  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

the  college  students,  and  made  our  way  to  our 
Westminster  Abbey,  the  blue  sky  for  its  mag- 
nificent dome,  and  beneath  its  green  sod,  in 
peaceful  slumbers,  rest  the  honored  fathers  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  patriots  that  laid 
the  foundations  of  our  independence  and 
nationality.  On  this  sacred  spot  we  stood  in 
silence,  and  with  fresh  courage  renewed  our 
vows  to  serve  God,  our  country  and  our  race. 

A  DIVERSION.  Returning  to  New  York,  I 
turned  aside  at  Newark  to  spend  the  Sabbath 
at  Madison,  New  Jersey,  with  Rev.  Dr.  Robert 
Aikman,  the  esteemed  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  who  was  the  secretary  of  the 
Pearl  street,  New  York,  Presbyterian  church, 
Sunday-school  Missionary  Society,  and  my  cor- 
respondent in  1836,  fifty-three  years  before, 
when  I  entered  the  missionary  service  of  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union  in  Ohio.  In 
his  pleasant  home  with  his  kind  family  we  spent 
Saturday  evening,  reviewing  the  way  the  Lord 
had  led  us  and  the  blessed  work  he  gave  us  to 
do,  a  good  preparation  for  the  Sabbath  and  its 
duties. 

In  the  forenoon,  I  preached  in  the  old  sanc- 
tuary of  the  fathers,  a  venerable  and  spacious 
edifice,  where  generations  had  been  taught  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  rendered  divine  worship 
in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  In  the  afternoon  I 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  353 

addressed  the  large  and  interesting  Sunday- 
school  assembled  in  the  new  Webb  memorial 
chapel,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $40,000  by  one  of  his 
parishioners  as  a  memorial  of  an  only  son,  a  very 
promising  young  man,  a  member  of  the  Sunday- 
school  and  of  the  church,  whose  early  death  the 
community  sincerely  deplored.  My  address  in 
the  evening  was  a  retrospect  of  my  fifty-three 
years  on  my  western  missionary  field.  This 
closed  a  delightful  day  spent  with  the  young 
secretary  of  1836,  now  "in  a  good  old  age," 
having  been  over  forty  years  in  gospel  work, 
beloved  and  useful  in  his  large  and  influential 
congregation.  Long  may  his  bow  abide  in 
strength  and  his  church  grow  and  prosper. 

WEST  POINT.  Appointed  on  the  Board  of 
Visitors  by  President  Harrison,  at  the  dissolu- 
tion of  the  General  Assembly,  May  29,  I  went 
to  West  Point  to  enter  upon  my  new  and 
untried  duties,  not  without  misgivings  as  to  the 
performance  of  my  duties  in  such  a  position. 
On  reporting  for  duty  I  was  cordially  received 
by  the  superintendent,  General  T.  G.  Parke, 
and  other  officers.  The  Board  consisted  of 
General  Lew.  Wallace  of  Crawfordsville,  Indi- 
ana ;  Rev.  A.  E.  Edwards,  D.D.,  of  Chicago  ; 
Rev.  B.  W.  Chidlaw,  D.D.,  of  Cleves,  Ohio; 
Prof.  L.  Brown  of  Reno,  Kansas :  Dr.  N.  S. 
Lincoln  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Prof.  C.  M. 

23 


354:  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

Pinkerton  of  Perry.  Iowa ;  Captain  Charles 
King,  United  States  Army  (retired) ;  Hon.  C. 
K.  Davis,  United  States  Senator,  Minnesota; 
Hon.  John  W.  Daniels,  United  States  Senator, 
Virginia;  Hon.  S.  M.  Robertson,  Member  of 
Congress, Louisiana;  Hon. G. W. Steele, Member 
of  Congress,  Indiana,  and  Hon.  S.  S.  Yoder, 
Member  of  Congress,  Ohio. 

General  Lew.  Wallace  was  chosen  to  preside, 
and  Rev.  A.  E.  Edwards,  D.D.,  secretary. 
With  such  gentlemen  I  felt  quite  at  home,  and 
with  confidence  entered  upon  the  duties  involved 
in  the  appointment.  For  several  days  our 
time  was  largely  occupied  in  attending  exami- 
nations in  the  various  departments  of  study, 
delighted  with  the  proficiency  of  the  cadets, 
the  skill  and  faithfulness  of  the  professors. 
The  tests  were  severe,  but  always  fair.  During 
our  stay  of  nearly  two  weeks  Lieutenants 
Dodd  and  Hodges,  appointed  by  General 
Parke,  rendered  us  valuable  service,  courteous 
and  thoughtful,  which  greatly  facilitated  our 
labors,  and  made  our  visit  very  pleasant. 

Being  on  two  sub-committees,  "  Discipline, 
and  instruction "  and  "  Cadet  supply  and 
expenditures,"  my  time  was  fully  occupied. 
Daily,  in  the  afternoon,  we  witnessed  military 
exercises  by  the  cadets,  infantry,  artillery  and 
cavalry  drills,  and  battalion  parades.  In  our 


ABOUNDING   IX   LABORS.  355 

hotel  we  had  a  large  room  where  we  frequently 
met  for  consultation  and  to  hear  the  reports  of 
the  various  committees.  Our  report  when  com- 
pleted by  Dr.  Edwards  was  presented  to  Con- 
gress, with  several  important  recommendations, 
as  we  thought,  for  the  benefit  of  the  academy. 

The  Sabbath  day  is  well  observed.  Public 
worship  is  held  in  the  chapel,  conducted  by  the 
chaplain,  and  fairly  attended.  More  than  fifty 
years  ago,  when  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Mcllvaine  was 
chaplain,  a  prayer-meeting  conducted  by  the 
cadets  was  established,  and  is  continued  to  this 
day.  I  attended  on  a  week-day  evening,  and 
found  in  the  Dialectic  Hall  nearly  fifty  cadets, 
one  of  their  own  number  leading  the  meeting, 
and  others  engaging  in  oral  prayer  and  remarks. 
By  request,  two  of  our  Board  of  Visitors  made 
short  addresses,  commending  their  faithfulness 
in  religious  duties,  and  exhorting  them  "  to 
cleave  unto  the  Lord  with  full  purpose  of 
heart." 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  num- 
bers 125  of  the  250  cadets  now  at  the  academy. 
They  have  a  reading-room  well  supplied  with 
secular  and  religious  papers.  West  Point,  with 
its  military  academy,  beautiful  natural  scenery 
and  historic  associations,  is  a  charming  place, 
and  our  sojourn  there  will  be  long  cherished 
and  remembered. 


356  THE  STORY  OF  MY  LIFE. 

THE  WORLD'S  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CONVEN- 
TION. Delegated  by  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  and  my  daughter  by  the  Ohio 
State  Association,  on  the  13th  of  June,  1889,  we 
embarked  on  the  steamship  "  Nebraska  "  bound 
for  Glasgow.  We  had  fair  weather,  smooth 
sea,  and  a  very  pleasant  voyage  of  ten  days. 
We  spent  a  week  in  reaching  London  from 
Glasgow,  made  the  tour  of  the  Trosachs,  charm- 
ed with  the  lakes  and  mountains  of  Scotland. 
In  Edinburg  we  visited  the  Castle,  National 
Museum,  Holy  rood  Palace,  and  John  Knox's 
house. 

We  spent  a  day  in  the  city  of  York,  the 
ecclesiastical  center  of  Great  Britain ;  saw 
its  magnificent  cathedral,  ancient  monuments, 
crypt,  stalls,  and  famous  window.  On  the 
city  wall,  built  in  1280,  we  had  a  fine  view  of 
the  city  and  its  beautiful  environs,  and  a  pleas- 
ant walk  that  prepared  us  for  our  tea  and 
our  rest  at  the  Station  hotel,  a  hostelry  complete 
and  comfortable  in  all  of  its  appointments.  We 
reached  London  rather  refreshed  by  our  jour- 
ney, found  our  lodgings  in  a  private  hotel,  and 
on  Sunday  heard  the  distinguished  pastors  of 
the  Metropolitan  Tabernacle  and  the  City  Tem- 
ple, besides  visiting  two  Sunday-schools  and  ad- 
dressing them. 

On  Monday  the  roll  of  foreign  delegates  had 


ABOUNDING   IN    LABORS.  357 

358  names  enrolled  from  the  United  States ;  69 
from  Canada,  and  439  from  other  foreign  lands 
and  the  United  Kingdom,  a  total  of  866  Sun- 
day-school workers ;  met,  not  in  the  interest  of 
commerce,  of  science,  or  curiosity,  but  of  Bible 
teaching  and  the  advancement  of  Christianity 
all  over  the  world.  That  evening,  the  Lord 
Mayor  of  London  tendered  us  a  reception  in 
the  Mansion  House.  The  great  Egyptian  room 
was  crowded  with  delegates.  John  Edward 
Tresidder,  Esq.,  the  senior  secretary  of  the 
London  Sunday-school  Union,  called  me  out 
of  the  crowd,  and  in  a  private  room  intro- 
duced me  to  his  Lordship  as  the  oldest  del- 
egate from  the  United  States,  fifty-three 
years  a  Sunday-school  missionary.  His  honor 
received  me  cordially,  and  inquired  how  old  I 
was.  I  replied  that  I  was  just  entering  my 
seventy-ninth  year.  Rather  astonished,  he  said  : 
•  "  How  well  you  are  preserved  !  If  I  attain 
your  age,  and  have  your  vigor,  I  shall  be  very 
thankful  to  God." 

Such  words  falling  from  the  lips  of  the  chief 
magistrate  of  London  fell  very  pleasantly  on 
my  ears  and  cheered  my  heart.  Tuesday  morn- 
ing the  convention  assembled  in  the  Memorial 
Hall,  Hon.  B.  F.  Belsey  of  London  in  the  chair. 
After  uniting  in  a  hymn  of  praise,  I  was  invit- 
ed to  the  platform  to  offer  prayer.  Addresses 


358  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

were  made  by  a  delegate  from  France,  Dr.  John 
Hall  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  Cuyler  of  Brook- 
lyn. For  the  want  of  room  our  subsequent 
sessions  were  held  in  the  City  Temple,  High 
Holborn.  The  ground  floor  was  occupied  by 
the  delegates,  and  the  extensive  galleries  by 
visitors.  The  first  half  hour  each  day  was  spent 
in  prayer  and  praise. 

In  looking  over  the  assembled  delegates,  one 
in  Christ,  the  unity  of  believers  all  over  Chris- 
tendom was  an  idea  that  thrilled  my  soul,  and 
the  evidence  of  the  extent  of  the  Sunday-school 
cause  and  its  influence  on  the  circulation  and 
study  of  the  Bible  was  an  inspiring  power  full 
of  encouragement.  Among  the  nobility  that 
participated  in  our  meetings  Lord  Kinnard,  the 
Earl  and  Countess  of  Aberdeen,  and  Count 
Bernstorff  of  Germany  were  often  seen  and 
heard  from  the  platform.  Ladies  from  the 
United  States  were  frequently  heard,  command- 
ing the  hearing  and  securing  the  applause 
of  the  audience ;  while  our  American  brethren, 
lay  and  clerical,  were  often  heard  in  stirring 
talks  on  practical  subjects. 

Delegates  from  Continental  Europe  that 
could  use  the  English  language,  brought  cheer- 
ing intelligence  of  the  extension  and  success  of 
the  work  of  teaching  the  Bible.  From  India, 
China,  Australia  and  Cape  Colony,  business  men 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABOES.  359 

and  returned  missionaries  brought  glad  tidings 
from  afar  of  the  progress  and  usefulness  of 
Sunday-schools.  The  delegate  from  India  made 
a  strong  appeal  for  help  to  plant  Sunday-schools 
in  that  distant  land.  In  response  the  salary  of 
of  a  missionary  for  three  years  was  pledged. 

THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY.  On  our  glorious 
natal  day  the  services  of  the  convention  closed 
at  an  early  hour,  and  three  hundred  American 
citizens,  with  a  number  of  our  English  friends, 
took  tea  together  beneath  the  folds  of  the  old 
flag — the  red,  white  and  blue.  The  American 
feeling,  though  in  a  foreign  land,  found  a  warm 
and  eloquent  expression  in  the  extempore 
speeches  of  that  warm-hearted  American  Irish- 
man bishop  of  the  Fifth  avenue  church  in  New 
York,  the  princely  merchant  that  devises  many 
ways  for  liberal  deeds  for  Christ  and  his  church 
in  Chicago,  and  the  good  man  that  writes  such 
good  articles  as  he  sits  under  the  catalpa  in 
Brooklyn.  These  red-hot  patriotic  speeches 
made  up  the  lack  of  fire-works  and  the  roar  of 
artillery.  I  can  safely  say  for  all  present  we 
had  a  gloriously  good  time  and  enjoyed  it. 

ANOTHER  ENTERTAINMENT.  The  next  feast 
we  enjoyed  was  a  public  breakfast  in  Exeter 
Hall  provided  by  George  Williams,  Esq.,  a 
wealthy  merchant,  the  founder  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  a  leader  and  a 


360  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

strong  helper  in  every  good  work  in  the  Metro- 
polis and  the  regions  beyond.  The  menu  was 
more  like  a  regular  dinner  than  a  breakfast,  and 
the  speeches  were  certainly  worthy  of  being 
classified  with  the  best "  post  prandial  "  perform- 
ances. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  at  the  invitation  of 
the  Earl  of  Aberdeen,  the  members  of  the  con- 
vention and  a  host  of  friends  left  London  on  a 
special  train  for  Dollis  Hill,  his  country  palace, 
twelve  miles  out.  The  noble  Christian  family, 
parents  and  children,  beneath  a  majestic  tree  in 
the  park,  gave  us  a  royal  welcome,  and  in  a 
large  pavilion  we  shared  their  elegant  and 
generous  hospitality.  Then  came  music,  Scotch 
bagpipes  and  a  band  of  boys  from  a  neighbor- 
ing orphanage,  extempore  speeches,  rambles 
over  the  extensive  and  lovely  park,  and  a  safe 
return  to  London,  delighted  with  our  outing. 

After  the  convention,  we  spent  two  weeks  in 
London,  visiting  prisons,  hospitals,  the  Bridge 
of  Hope,  Ratcliffs  Highway,  where  the  fallen 
and  outcast  find  an  open  door  to  a  life  of  purity 
and  godliness,  and  where  the  work  of  rescuing 
the  perishing  is  so  highly  blessed.  I  only 
preached  once  in  London,  in  the  Fetter  Lane 
Welsh  chapel  where  the  services  are  conducted 
in  the  old  vernacular.  The  congregation  was 
large,  made  up  of  emigrants  from  Wales.  The 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  361 

pastor,  Rev.  O.  Evans,  D.D.,  is  doing  a  good 
work,  and  the  church  enjoys  prosperity.  This 
church  had  recently  purchased  a  large  and  sub- 
stantial chapel  near  King's  Cross,  that  originally 
cost  $80,000,  for  less  than  half  that  amount,  and 
expected  soon  to  occupy  it  improved  and  beauti- 
fied at  an  additional  cost  of  $6000.  I  under- 
stood that  the  Non-conforming  Welsh  churches 
in  London,  thirteen  in  number,  have  good  con- 
gregations and  excellent  pastors,  and  a  healthy 
spiritual  condition. 

Our  visit  to  London  ended,  I  accepted  an 
invitation  to  take  a  trip  through  England  on 
my  way  to  Wales.  We  first  went  to  Ashford, 
Kent,  sixty  miles  from  London.  The  ride 
through  the  country,  the  sight  of -hop-fields  and 
strawberry  plantations,  men  and  women  hay 
harvesting,  with  the  fresh  air  made  the  trip 
delightful.  On  our  arrival,  we  were  escorted 
to  a  real  nice  English  home,  and  hospitably 
treated*  The  town  has  a  beautiful  cemetery, 
large  railroad  shops,  fine  chapels,  an  Established 
church,  and  thrifty,  moral  and  religious  popula- 
tion of  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants.  On  Sim- 
day  the  Ashford  Sunday-school  Union  held  its 
anniversary.  The  first  meeting  was  held  in 
the  Corn  Exchange,  a  mass  gathering  of  adults. 
In  the  same  place  in  the  afternoon,  eight  Sun- 
day-schools assembled,  a  large,  orderly  and 


362  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

attentive  congregation,  and  two  addresses  were 
delivered.  In  the  evening,  the  largest  chapel 
in  town  was  well  filled  with  adults  and  youths, 
who  heard  a  discourse  on  Sunday-schools  in 
America.  The  next  day,  we  visited  the  ancient 
city  of  Canterbury,  passed  our  time  in  the 
cathedral  with  its  treasures  of  sacred  antiqui- 
ties, the  shrine  of  Thomas  &  Becket  and  the 
crypt  chapel  where  the  French  Huguenots  two 
hundred  years  ago  held  divine  worship,  and 
where  a  small  remnant  of  their  descendants  still 
offer  their  devotions,  and  worship  the  God  of 
their  fathers. 

We  also  spent  a  Sabbath  in  Birmingham 
a  great  manufacturing  city  with  a  population 
of  400,000.  I  visited  and  addressed  the  Sun- 
day-school in  Carr-Lane  chapel,  where  Rev. 
John  Angell  James,  the  author  of  "  The  Anx- 
ious Inquirer  Directed  to  Christ,"  so  long  and 
successfully  labored.  "  The  James  Memorial 
Chapel "  in  the  new  part  of  the  city,  is  the 
home  of  a  strong  and  flourishing  church.  Here 
I  saw  a  Bible  class  of  150  mechanics  and 
laborers,  a  grand  and  inspiring  sight.  This  city 
has  been,  and  to  some  extent  continues  the 
stronghold  of  Unitarianisrn,  but  its  power  and 
influence  is  waning. 

From  Birmingham  we  went  to  the  old  city 
of  Chester,  and  spent  a  Sabbath  participating 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  363 

in  the  anniversary  services  of  the  Chester  Sun- 
day-school Union,  large  and  enthusiastic  meet- 
ings. Thence  we  went  to  Wales,  the  objective 
point  of  my  travel.  At  Dolgelly,  though  my 
esteemed  cousin  had  died,  his  widow  and  son 
received  us  kindly,  and  their  pleasant  home 
was  our  center  of  movements  during  our  stay 
in  the  Principality.  Feeling  the  need  of  rest, 
I  did  not  engage  in  ministerial  work  as  on  my 
former  •  visit.  I  would  make  short  tours  at 
pleasure,  address  Sunday-schools,  and  preach 
in  Welsh  occasionally.  The  tithe  agitation  is 
a  distracting  element ;  the  encroachment  of  the 
English  language  and  English  fashions,  and,  I 
regret  to  say,  a  low  state  of  religion  in  the 
churches,  seriously  affected  the  interests  of 
Christianity ;  yet,  I  saw  no  special  evidence  of 
demoralization  among  the  people,  or  defection 
from  the  religious  faith  of  their  godly  ancestors 
among  the  ministers. 

I  attended,  by  invitation,  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Welsh  Congregational  Union,  at- 
tended by  500  lay  and  clerical  delegates.  It 
was  held  at  Bethesda,  a  populous  town  in  the 
center  of  the  great  slate  quarries  of  Csenarvon- 
shire.  I  was  entertained  at  the  pleasant  and 
Christian  home  of  W.  Pritchard,  manager  of 
the  Lord  Penryn  slate  quarries.  A  visit  to  this 
great  bee-hive  of  industry,  where  2500  men  and 


364  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

boys  are  employed  on  the  side  of  a  towering 
mountain,  a  new  and  novel  sight,  afforded  me 
great  pleasure.  With  a  gentleman  from  Aus- 
tralia, I  aided  at  a  massSunda3r-school  meeting, 
heard  several  grand  gospel  sermons  and  excel- 
lent papers  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  present 
circumstances  of  the  denomination,  and  its 
relation  to  the  Government  and  the  working 
men. 

This  is  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  influen- 
tial Non-conforming  denominations  in  Wales. 
The  statistics  for  1888  show  1151  chapels, 
1028  churches,  624  pastors,  310  lay  preachers, 
125,000  church  members,  120,000  Sunday- 
school  scholars,  a  college,  and  two  theological 
seminaries.  The  Established  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  Wales  is  an  alien  church.  Disestablish- 
ment is  everywhere  in  the  air,  in  the  valleys, 
and  on  the  mountains,  in  towns  and  in  the 
country,  and  is  surely  to  come  to  pass,  a  result 
that  will  certainly  be  favorable  to  the  interests 
and  progress  of  true  Christianity  in  the  church 
and  in  the  chapel. 

THE  QUEEN  OF  ENGLAND.  Her  majesty,  on 
her  visit  to  Wales,  attracted  great  attention. 
Her  presence  in  Bala,  my  native  place,  at- 
tracted me  with  thousands  of  her  loyal  subjects 
among  the  mountains  of  North  Wales.  The 
quiet  old  town  was  astir  as  never  before,  nor 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  365 

were  the  streets  ever  crowded  with  such  throngs 
of  people.  From  a  platform  in  front  of  a 
dwelling  I  enjoyed  a  good  view  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria and  other  members  of  the  royal  family. 
She  looked  well,  and  was  plainly  dressed  in 
black.  Seated  with  Beatrice  at  her  side  in 
an  open  and  magnificent  carriage,  she  politely 
bowed  her  head  and  waved  her  hand  as  she 
passed  through  the  dense  mass  of  her  Welsh 
subjects.  The  royal  cortege  stood  at  a  plat- 
form crowded  with  dignitaries  of  the  Church 
and  State,  where  her  majesty  was  presented 
with  a  splendid  painting  of  Welsh  scenery  by  a 
native  artist,  which  she  graciously  received, 
with  thanks.  A  sturdy  Welshman,  at  my  side 
said : 

"All  this,  is  very  well,  only  she  did  not 
speak  in  the  Welsh  language." 

Mottoes  in  both  languages  abounded;  no 
cheers  were  heard,  but  plenty  of  Welsh  singing, 
and  a  more  orderly  and  respectful  crowd  could 
nowhere  be  found.  I  saw  no  drunkeness,  and 
heard  no  profanity  during  the  day,  nor  did  I 
witness  any  disorder. 

After  a  pleasant  and  restful  sojourn  of  a 
month  in  Wales,  we  left  for  Glasgow,  to 
embark  on  the  "  Nebraska  "  the  sixth  of  Sep- 
tember. We  found  on  board  fifty-one  of  the 
two  hundred  and  thirteen  who  were  our  fellow- 


366  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

passengers  from  New  York  last  June.  We 
met  as  old  friends,  glad  to  see  each  other,  and 
as  we  were  on  our  chairs  on  the  deck,  we 
passed  pleasant  hours  telling  our  experience  as 
tourists  in  foreign  lands,  comparing  notes,  to 
ascertain  who  had  the  best  of  it.  Some  tall 
stories  were  related,  a  medley  of  experi- 
ences, pleasant  and  unpleasant ;  but,  upon  the 
whole,  none  of  us  had  reason  to  complain, 
except  of  ourselves,  and  the  mistakes  we  made. 
STORMY  VOYAGE.  Our  voyage  home  was 
very  different  from  the  outward  one.  The 
third  day  out,  we  encountered  a  storm  that 
continued  three  days.  The  second  day  out,  a 
cabin  passenger  died.  His  wife  found-  him 
dead  in  his  berth.  Our  surgeon  said  he  died  of 
acute  pneumonia.  The  body  was  removed  to 
the  morgue,  and  prepared  for  burial,  wrapped 
in  canvas,  with  heavy  weights  at  the  feet,  with 
an  English  flag  around  it.  Thus  prepared  for 
its  ocean  grave,  the  body  was  placed  on  a 
board,  one  end  resting  on  a  trestle,  the  other 
on  the  side  of  the  ship.  A  large  number  of 
passengers  assembled  on  the  stern  deck  to  wit- 
ness the  solemnity  of  a  funeral  at  sea.  The 
captain  read  the  Episcopal  burial  service,  and 
two  sailors  lifted  the  end  of  the  board,  and  our 
fellow-passenger  passed  into  his  undug  grave  in 
the  great  deep.  During  the  last  part  of  the 


ABOUNDING  IN  LABORS.  367 

funeral  service,  the  ship  was  stopped,  and  in 
every  respect  the  occasion  was  solemn  and 
impressive. 

The  Gathering  Storm.  Soon  after  the  funeral, 
the  sky  was  overhung  with  massive  dark  clouds, 
and  the  wind  howled  as  a  requiem  over  the 
unmarked  grave  of  our  fellow-passenger. 
Through  the  night,  I  felt,  as  I  lay  sleepless  in 
my  berth,  that  indeed  the  tempest  was  on  us, 
our  great  ship  tossing  and  pitching  at  an  un- 
usual rate. 

In  the  morning,  at  day  dawn,  I  left  my  state- 
room, and  by  making  the  best  use  of  my  sea 
legs,  and  clutching  everything  available,  I  made 
the  deck,  and  saw  the  mighty  ocean  lashed  into 
fury  by  the  breath  of  the  storm.  The  sight  was 
awe-inspiring  and  sublime.  The  waves  were 
like  huge  sheets  of  foam  as  they  dashed  against 
the  struggling  vessel  rushing  through  the  angry 
billows.  God  above  us,  a  competent  and  faith- 
ful captain  on  the  bridge,  and  our  ship  strong 
as  iron,  removed  all  sense  of  danger,  as,  for 
three  days,  we  battled  with  the  warring  elements. 

The  return  of  calm  weather  and  a  smooth  sea 
wrought  wonders,  state-rooms  were  abandoned, 
chairs  and  wraps  in  demand,  seats  at  the  table 
occupied,  and  once  more  sea  life  was  an  enjoy- 
ment. With  a  few  others,  old  men,  I  kept  out 
of  my  state-room  during  the  day,  and  never 


368  THE   STOEY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

failed  to  appear  at  the  table,  but  owing  to  the 
commotion  among  the  dishes,  we  ate  our  food 
under  difficulties  and  in  discomfort. 

Icebergs.  A  change  in  temperature  heralded 
that  we  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  icebergs. 
Soon  word  came  from  the  bridge  that  they  were 
in  sight.  All  were  now  on  the  look-out  for 
these  wanderers  from  their  Arctic  homes.  One 
immense  berg  with  two  lofty  towers,  white  like 
snow,  basking  in  the  sunshine,  stood  on  our 
starboard  about  a  mile  distant,  drifting  south- 
ward. Several  smaller  bergs  accompanied  this 
huge  mass  of  ice,  and  together  presented  a 
grand  and  novel  sight.  The  view,  so  distinct 
and  satisfactory,  of  these  icebergs,  broke  the 
monotony  of  the  voyage,  and  afforded  fruitful 
themes  for  discussion — many  theories  but  few 
facts.  As  we  had  been  greatly  delighted  to  see 
these  strangers  from  the  North  Polar  regions, 
we  were  pleased  when  they  disappeared  beneath 
a  clear  sky. 

The  ninth  day  out,  a  pilot  boarded  us — land 
in  sight !  Yes,  the  land  we  love.  Doctors  and 
custom-house  officers  came  aboard.  A  clean 
bill  of  health,  and  our  baggage  passed  and 
chalked,  we  reached  our  dock,  and  were  met  by 
a  kind  friend  with  a  carriage  to  take  us  to  his 
hospitable  home  in  New  York.  After  a  short 
rest,  we  journeyed  west,  and  reached  our  home 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  369 

and  loved  ones  in  safety.  At  the  twilight  hour, 
I  visited  the  Berea  cemetery,  where  rests  in 
peace  my  beloved  wife  and  three  children, 
beneath  the  green  sod  and  lovely  flowers,  until 
the  reunion  not  far  hence,  when  "  them,  which 
sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him  "  and 
he  has  said  "  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my 
servant  be." 

AT  WORK  AGAIN.  Called  to  perform  the 
marriage  ceremony  of  a  young  couple  in  Rad- 
nor, my  old  and  early  home,  I  remained  over 
the  Sabbath,  addressed  three  Sunday-schools, 
administered  the  Lord's  supper,  and  in  the  even- 
ing preached  a  sermon  to  a  crowded  audience 
of  young  people.  Sixty  years  ago  I  united  with 
that  Church,  then  worshipping  in  a  log  chapel, 
not  one  of  its  then  members  now  living.  Alone, 
I  remained  of  that  body  of  Christ,  "which  is 
the  church,"  Col.  1 :  24.  In  the  adjoining  grave- 
yard on  marble  and  granite,  I  read  the  honored 
names  of  the  godly  men  and  women  who  were 
my  associates  and  helpers  in  the  service  of 
God.  During  this  visit,  from  what  I  saw  and 
heard,  my  confidence  in  the  prosperity  and 
perpetuity  of  the  church  of  Christ  was  greatly 
strengthened  and  my  soul  was  spiritually 
blessed. 

THE  STATE  INSTITUTIONS  VISITED.  During 
the  late  autumn,  the  weather  being  pleasant 


THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

and  my  health  good,  I  spent  nearly  a  month 
visiting  and  in  Christian  labors  in  several  of 
these  institutions. 

In  the  penitentiary  at  Columbus,  with  its 
prison  population  of  1410  males  and  30  females, 
I,  as  usual,  spent  a  Sabbath  welcomed  by  the 
chaplain,  Rev.  J.  H.  De  Bruen.  The  prison 
Sunday-school  had  500  scholars.  At  the  prayer- 
meeting  I  found  nearly  as  many ;  and,  at  the 
morning  service,  when  all  meet  in  the  spacious 
chapel  (one  of  the  best  audience  rooms  for  pub- 
lic speaking  in  the  country)  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  preaching,  of  telling  these  brethren  in  bonds, 
of  the  freedom  with  which  Christ  makes  his 
people  free.  The  prison  is  evidently  well  man- 
aged. Its  net  income,  from  the  labor  of  pris- 
oners was  $13,899  last  year,  and  what  is  bet- 
ter, special  efforts  are  made  to  educate  the  illit- 
erate. The  enrollment  in  the  prison-school  last 
year  was  497,  and  these  efforts  are  appreciated 
and  improved  by  the  prisoners.  Moral  and 
religious  agencies  are  also  employed  to  reform, 
and  save  these  transgressors. 

During  the  ensuing  week,  I  spent  three  days 
at  the  "  Girl's  Industrial  Home  "  near  Delaware, 
Ohio,  where  I  found  300  juvenile  delinquents, 
divided  into  seven  families,  each  in  charge  of  a 
matron,  house-keeper,  and  teacher.  In  many 
respects  these  are  model  homes.  The  girls  are 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  371 

well  taught  in  domestic  duties,  go  to  school  half 
of  each  day,  and  are  under  good  moral  and  relig- 
ious instruction  and  influence.  Through  the 
kindness  of  the  superintendent  I  visited  all 
these  families,  and  their  daily  schools,  and 
preached  twice  in  the  chapel.  The  Sunday- 
school  work  I  found  well  sustained,  and  re- 
ceived a  subscription  for  300  copies  of  the  Les- 
son Help,  published  by  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union. 

The  next  Sabbath  I  spent  with  the  608  boys 
at  the  "Industrial  School,"  a  new  name  for  the 
Reform  School,  near  Lancaster.  I  led  the  Sun- 
day-school, the  boys  recited  from  memory  the 
lesson  text,  promptly  and  accurately  answered 
all  the  questions  I  asked,  and  I  was  greatly  de- 
lighted with  the  continued  interest  and  faith- 
fulness manifested  in  the  Sunday-school  work. 
As  usual  my  juvenile  hearers  were  attentive  and 
interested  in  the  chapel  services  and,  I  hope, 
heard  the  gospel  to  profit  thereby.  On  Mon- 
day, I  visited  all  the  ten  families  and  the  daily 
schools,  cheered  by  all  that  I  saw.  In  the  even- 
ing, the  boys  assembled  in  the  chapel,  and  I 
told  them  the  story  of  my  travels  abroad  dur- 
ing the  past  summer.  The  superintendent, 
Hon.  D.  M.  Barrett,  authorized  rne  to  order 
from  the  American  Sunday -School  Union,  600 
copies  of  our  Quarterly  for  the  use  of  the  boys 


372  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

in  studying  the  lesson.  The  Sunday-school  is 
here  cherished  and  used  with  great  advantage 
in  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  of  these 
early  wanderers  into  evil  ways,  and  in  reclaim- 
ing them  to  walk  in  the  paths  of  virtue  and 
religion. 

In  the  Cincinnati  House  of  Refuge  I  found 
350  inmates,  most  of  them  quite  young,  but  in 
need  of  the  advantages  of  a  safe  home  and  good 
instruction.  Here  the  Sunday-school  flourishes. 
The  children  are  encouraged  to  commit  the 
scriptures  to  memory,  and  to  study  the  text. 
When  there  on  a  Sabbath,  I  addressed  the  Sun- 
day-school and  preached,  delighted  with  the 
attention  and  interest  of  my  juvenile  hearers. 

I  also  spent  a  Sabbath  at  the  City  Work 
House,  a  penal  institution.  The  only  religious 
service  is  in  the  morning.  I  preached  to  the 
prisoners,  four  hundred  males  and  a  hundred 
females,  victims  of  the  saloons  and  slums  of  the 
city.  The  sight  of  my  congregation  was  de- 
pressing. Some  were  attentive,  many  I  failed 
to  reach,  my  words  falling  on  their  ears  as  snow- 
flakes  on  the  rock,  and  I  was  discouraged. 

Having  gone  the  rounds  of  my  Ohio  field,  I 
extended  my  voluntary  labors  into  Indiana. 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  a  few  days  with 
Professor  T.  J.  Charlton,  superintendent  of  the 
"Indiana  Reform  School"  at  Plainfield,  near 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  373 

Indianapolis,  and  his  500  Hoosier  boys.  This 
school  is  founded  and  managed  on  the  family 
and  not  the  congregate  plan,  and  in  all  respects 
it  is  a  successful  reformatory.  Professor  Charl- 
ton,  educated  at  West  Point,  is  a  good  disci- 
plinarian. He  controls  these  neglected  and  self- 
willed  boys  by  the  law  of  kindness  backed  with 
power  and  authority.  Understanding  this, 
these  boys  are  easily  and  effectually  controlled, 
the  first  step  in  their  reformation.  The  indus- 
trial, educational,  and  religious  training  of  these 
boys  is  just  what  they  need ;  and,  when  appre- 
ciated, seldom  fails  to  prepare  them  for  a  good, 
useful  life  outside.  A  Sabbath  spent  here  in 
the  Sunday-school  and  chapel  service  was  a 
privilege  and  a  pleasure.  The  superintendent 
ordered  500  copies  of  a  lesson  Quarterly  for  the 
use  of  the  Sunday-school. 

In  the  tyty  of  Indianapolis,  the  state  has  a 
"  reformatory  for  girls,  and  a  prison  for  women," 
the  first  institution  of  the  kind  in  our  country, 
an  honor  to  the  State*  and  a  blessing  to  criminal 
women,  and  vicious,  wayward  and  incorrigible 
girls.  I  spent  a  Sabbath  here.  The  institution 
is  successfully  managed  by  a  board  of  three 
ladies — intelligent,  efficient,  humane  and  Chris- 
tian women.  The  two  departments  are  entirely 
separate,  the  adults  and  the  juveniles  have  no 
intercourse  together,  the  only  place  they  meet 


374  THE   STORY  OF   MY  LIFE. 

being  in  the  chapel.  I  found  62  women  convicts 
— 8  of  them  life  prisoners — and  150  girls  from 
nine  to  seventeen  years  old.  In  the  morning  I 
attended  and  addressed  the  girls'  band  meeting. 
One  of  their  number  led,  and  several  offered 
prayer  and  gave  their  testimony.  By  request 
of  the  matron,  I  led  the  Sunday-school  in  the 
women's  prison.  Our  lesson  was  on  the  subject 
of  temperance.  My  scholars  were  very  atten- 
tive and  answered  questions  freely.  At  the 
close  they  were  asked  how  many  of  them  had 
been  made  criminals  by  strong  drink.  Eleven 
of  them  responded  by  standing  up,  showing 
that  liquor  was  their  ruin. 

In  the  afternoon  the  women  and  girls  came, 
neatly  clad  and  with  becoming  reverence,  to  the 
chapel.  The  girls  came  first,  and  occupied  the 
front  seats,  and  the  women  last,  and  retired 
first,  so  they  did  not  see  each  other.  The  girls 
recited  in  concert  from  memory  a  scripture 
lesson,  and  all  united  in  singing,  and  with  atten- 
tion heard  my  discourse. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  a  sermon  in  behalf 
of  the  American  Sunday-School  Union  in  the 
First  Presbyterian  church,  Rev.  Dr.  Haines, 
pastor,  and  received  a  generous  response  to  aid 
our  missionary  cause.  I  was  glad  to  be  in- 
formed that  General  Harrison  and  his  estima- 
ble wife  were  members  of  this  church,  and  that 


ABOUNDING   IN   LABORS.  375 

the  President  was  for  many  years  an  elder,  dis- 
charging faithfully  the  duties  of  that  responsible 
office  in  the  church  of  Christ. 

These  labors  brought  nie  to  the  end  of  1889; 
a  time  for  reflection.  I  considered  the  way  the 
Lord  had  led  me,  arid  found  abundant  occa- 
sion to  bless  and  praise  his  Holy  Name.  My 
life  spent  so  largely  and  happily  with  children 
and  young  people  has  kept  me  young  in  heart, 
and,  I  hope,  helped  me  to  grow  old  gracefully, 
a  contented,  satisfied  old  man,  happy  in  the 
eventide  of  his  lengthened  earthly  pilgrimage, 
assured  of  another  and  better  life  beyond. 

Having  in  my  possession  in  diaries  for  over 
forty  years — in  clippings  from  secular  and 
religious  papers  preserved  in  scrap  books — a 
large  supply  of  data,  I  have  spent  much  of  my 
time  since  the  first  of  January,  1890,  in  writing 
this  story  of  my  life.  In  doing  this  I  have  en- 
joyed the  pleasure  of  living  my  busy  life  over 
again,  and  hope  that  this  story  of  my  labors 
will  not  be  in  vain,  but  for  the  honor  of  God 
and  the  encouragement  of  young  people  early 
to  enter  the  Christian  life,  to  obtain  an  educa- 
tion, and  to  make  the  most  of  life  in  serving 
God  and  their  generation. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

CLOSING   LABORS. 

AFTER  spending  a  few  days  in  Philadelphia 
enjoying  the  hospitality  and  society  of 
the  officers  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  and  visiting  places  of  interest  in  the  city, 
preaching  twice  on  the  Sabbath  and  addressing 
two  Sunday-schools,  I  left  for  the  Lackawanna 
Valley  to  attend  a  Sunday-school  convention  at 
Scranton,  held  in  the  interest  of  the  Welsh 
Sunday-schools  of  that  flourishing  city  and 
neighboring  villages,  inhabited  largely  by  Welsh 
miners  and  their  families,  devoted  friends  of 
the  Bible,  the  Sunday-school,  and  the  church. 
The  convention  lasted  two  days  and  was  well 
attended.  Papers  on  practical  subjects  were 
read,  and  addresses  were  delivered  in  Welsh 
and  English,  followed  by  free  discussion.  Pas- 
tors and  laymen  participated  and  rendered  val- 
uable instruction  in  regard  to  the  extension  and 
improvement  of  Bible  study  and  practical 
Christianity. 

At  the  present  time  these  Welsh  people  are 
in  a  transition  state.     The   children,  instructed 

(376) 


CLOSING   LABORS.  377 

in  the  public  schools,  are  becoming  American- 
ized in  language  and  are  losing  their  vernacu- 
lar ;  hence  the  necessity  and  importance  of  sup- 
plying them  with  the  means  of  grace  in  the 
English  language.  In  this  exigency  the  Sun- 
day-school, and  preaching  in  the  English  lan- 
guage are  imperatively  needed  to  hold  the 
young  people  to  the  altars  of  religion,  and  is 
essential  to  maintain  the  Christian  principles  of 
their  godly  parents,  and,  indeed,  the  existence 
of  the  churches  organized  and  sustained  by  the 
Welsh  pioneers  in  the  Lackawanna  valley. 

In  this  extensive  mining  region  there  are  now 
over  fifty  Welsh  churches,  Congregationalist, 
Baptist,  and  Calvinistic  Methodists  (Presbyte- 
rian in  creed  and  church  polity)  about  equally 
divided.  In  some  congregations  the  pastor  is 
able  to  preach  in  both  languages.  With  an 
English  department  in  the  Sunday-school  the 
young  people  are  held  and  grow  up  in  Christ 
and  in  his  service.  Where  the  religious  priv- 
ileges are  in  Welsh  only,  the  youth  suffer  a 
serious  loss  and  their  spiritual  interests  are 
largely  sacrificed. 

To  remedy  this  evil  the  churches  are  acting 
wisely,  and  in  many  places  special  efforts  are 
made  to  secure  preaching  and  Sunday-school 
instruction  in  the  English  language  ;  and,  in 
several  instances,  congregations  have  been  gath- 


378  THE   STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

ered,  chapels  built,  and  flourishing  churches 
organized ;  and  thus  the  descendants  of  the 
old  Welsh  families  are  Americanized  under  the 
best  type  of  our  social  and  religious  life,  and 
become  good  and  loyal  citizens,  and  established 
in  the  church  and  service  of  God. 

We  have  in  our  country  over  five  hundred 
Welsh  churches,  sound  in  the  faith,  serving  the 
Lord  Christ.  These,  in  regard  to  language,  are 
in  a  transition  state.  When  the  grand  old  ver- 
nacular ceases  to  be  the  language  of  the  fire- 
side, it  must  eventually  cease  to  be  the  language 
of  the  sanctuary  ;  hence  the  duty  and  necessity 
of  supplying  the  young  people  at  this  critical 
period  with  gospel  privileges  in  the  language 
they  understand  and  can  use  in  their  religious 
lives. 

SIXTY-SIX  YEARS  WERE  COMMEMORATED  by 
an  anniversary  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union,  May  11,  1890,  held  in  the  First  Presby- 
terian church,  Trenton,  N.  J.  The  venerated 
house  of  the  Lord  was  well  filled  with  an  intel- 
ligent and  appreciative  audience.  Rev.  John 
Hall,  D.D.,  pastor  emeritus,  though  over  eighty 
3'ears  old,  standing  erect,  with  a  vigorous  intel- 
lect, a  warm  heart  and  a  clear  voice  delivered 
an  address  of  welcome.  In  his  early  life  Dr. 
Hall  was  secretary  of  the  society  at  Philadel- 
phia, and  editor  of  its  early  publications.  His 


CLOSING  LABORS.  379 

address  glowed  with  words  of  kindness  and 
interesting  reminiscences.  Rev.  C.  H.  Rich- 
ards, D.D.,  of  Philadelphia,  delivered  an  elo- 
quent and  appropriate  address.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Crowell,  D.D.,  of  Philadelphia,  secretary  of 
missions,  reported,  that  during  the  year  over 
ninety-seven  missionaries  had  established  1685 
new  schools,  with  7353  teachers  and  59,432 
scholars  ;  also  visited  and  aided  1852  schools 
previously  organized,  with  12,788  teachers  and 
120,792  scholars,  and  distributed  16,115  Bibles 
and  Testaments. 

AN  INTERESTING  DOCUMENT.  The  aged 
pioneer  Sunday-school  missionary,  holding  in  his 
hand  his  first  commission,  signed  by  John 
Hall,  secretary,  and  Alexander  Henry,  Esq., 
president  of  the  American  Sunday-School  Union, 
issued  from  Philadelphia,  February  12,  1836, 
made  an  address.  After  the  lapse  of  fifty-four 
years  of  service,  one,  an  honored  and  faithful 
pastor,  the  other  a  Sunday-school  missionary  in 
the  west,  were  permitted  to  greet  each  other,  a 
delightful  and  unusual  coincidence  greatly 
enjoyed. 

In  the  Depository  of  the  society  in  Philadel- 
phia, by  examining  old  letters,  I  found  my  first 
introduction  to  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  which  I  copy. 


380  THE  STORY   OF   MY   LIFE. 

"  CINCINNATI,  JANUARY  29,  1836. 

"  Our  Board  have  concluded  to  employ  the  Rev.  B.  W, 
Chidlaw,  upon  the  very  strong  recommendation  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Brainerd,  Robert  Boal,  Esq.,  Rev.  Henry  Little 
and  A.  W.  Corey,  Esq.  Mr.  Chidlaw  resides  at  Paddy's 
Run,  Butler  County,  Ohio.  He  is  a  warm  and  active  friend 
of  Sunday-schools.  He  proposes  to  give  us  one-fourth  of 
his  time  to  work  in  Butler  County,  Ohio.  He  leaves  it 
with  our  Board  to  pay  him  what  they  think  best. 

"  B.  J.  SEWAED,  Agt." 

I  also  found  the  following  in  a  letter  from  A. 
W.  Corey,  dated  Cincinnati,  November  16, 
1836." 

"  A  Sunday-school  celebration  (probably  the  first  held  in 
the  city)  nearly  all  the  schools  turned  out  filling  the 
Wesley  Chapel,  on  Fifth  Street.  Rev.  Mr.  Chidlaw,  one  of 
own  missionaries,  addressed  the  children  in  a  very  happy 
manner.  His  address  abounded  in  interesting  incidents 
and  gave  great  satisfaction.  Scarce  an  eye  was  turned 
from  him  till  he  had  finished  his  address.  Rev.  M.  Sehon, 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  followed  in  an  able  address  to  parents. 

"A.  W.  COBEY,  Agt." 

Resting.  On  my  way  home  I  spent  nine  days 
at  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  an  interested  visitor  to  the 
Presbyterian  General  Assembly  then  in  session. 
Meeting  many  brethren,  beloved  in  the  Lord, 
cheered  by  Christian  fellowship,  and  attending 
the  Assembly,  my  time  was  profitably  and 
happily  spent,  soul  and  body  strengthened  and 
refreshed.  On  the  street,  or  in  the  vestibule  of 
the  church,  I  was  frequently  and  kindly  greeted 
by  members  of  the  Assembly  as  the  Sunday- 
school  missionary  they  had  heard  in  their  Sun- 


CLOSING   LABORS.  381 

day-school  days,  glad  to  find  him  flourishing  in 
his  advanced  life  and  still  at  work.  A  stranger, 
with  genuine  western  cordiality,  greeted  me  on 
the  pavement.  It  was  the  Rev.  Henry  B.  Gage, 
of  the  Los  Angelos  Presbytery,  California. 
After  referring  to  an  interesting  meeting  we 
held  when  he  was  a  student  at  the  South  Salem 
Presbyterian  Academy  and  its  influence  on  his 
personal  religious  life,  he  said  :  "  I  want  to  tell 
you  what  may  be  to  you  unknown,  but,  I  am 
sure,  the  information  will  cheer  and  encourage 
your  heart  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  My  sister- 
in-law,  Miss  Cort,  who  has  been  for  fifteen  years 
a  faithful  and  successful  missionary  in  Siam, 
always  referred  her  conversion  under  God  to 
your  preaching  when  she  was  a  student  at  the 
Glendale  Female  College,  Ohio.  I  will  inform 
her  of  our  meeting,  and  she  will  be  glad  to  hear 
from  you."  Such  unexpected  and  blessed  intel- 
ligence filled  my  soul  with  thanksgiving  to  God, 
for  the  honor  and  privilege  of  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  winning  souls  to  Christ  and  his 
service.  After  spending  a  few  days  resting  at 
my  pleasant  home  and  with  loved  ones,  and 
participating  in  the  memorial  services  of  Decor- 
ation Day  at  Cleves,  I  look  forward  to  other 
labors  at  the  Ohio  State  Sunday-school  Conven- 
tion at  Venice,  Ohio,  where  I  taught  school 
fifty-six  years  ago. 


382  THE   STORY   OF    MY   LIFE. 

This  brings  my  story  to  an  end.  Life  has  yet 
many  charms  and  opportunities  for  serving 
God  and  his  Church,  and  hitherto  the  Lord  has 
brought  me  still  in  his  loving  hand.  I  will 
cheerfully  and  hopefully  rest  and  trust  till  the 
shadows  of  earth  shall  be  changed  for  the  sun- 
light of  Eternity,  and  my  heavenly  home  is 
reached  to  be  forever  with  the  Lord. 

CLEVES,  O.,  JUNE,  1890. 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


JAN  o  5 


